If God is all powerful and loving, why is there so much suffering in the world

If God is all powerful and loving, why is there so much suffering in the world

Why doesn't He just put a stop to it all?

Stes de Necker

It is often asked why is there suffering in the world if God is all powerful and loving.  Why doesn't He stop it?  Can He or is He weaker than we think? 

Suffering can fall into three simple categories: emotional, mental, and physical suffering.  But, there are a variety of causes for suffering:  morally corrupt (evil) people, disease, earthquakes, floods, famine, etc.

‘Earthquake Claims 10,000 in India.’ ‘Thousands Perish in Bangladesh’s Flood.’ Tragedy is constantly in the news, including large-scale, ‘senseless’ disasters that snuff out the lives of thousands, such as the terrorist attacks on New York’s World Trade Center.

Nor is tragedy confined to today—it wasn’t too long ago that an evil regime wiped out 6 million Jews and many others.

In addition to the headline events, each of us suffers pain at one time or another—illness, headaches, accidents and death. It’s not surprising, when the burdens become too great, that people cry out to God in anguish, ‘Why don’t you do anything? Don’t you care?’

This world is full of suffering and pain, and God does allow it. And while we may understand to a point why God had to allow suffering, why doesn’t he end it now? Why has he allowed it to continue so long? That is a troubling question.

A perfect and holy God created a perfect world. He “looked over all he made, and he saw that it was excellent in every way” (Genesis 1:31 nlt). Yet not for long.

Because of free will, humans had a choice of God’s way or their way. They chose their way, and sin and evil entered the world. The perfect paradise God had created was destroyed. And from that moment forward—multiplied thousands of years—hunger, disease, hatred, wars, and untold heartache have plagued the human race.

It is true God has promised to redeem those who trust in his Son for salvation and to restore creation back to his original design. But why is God taking so long to correct the tragic mess humans have made of this world?

We confess that we cannot satisfactorily explain why God has allowed suffering for as long as he has.

But why God is taking so long to end pain and suffering is truly a perplexing question. Over 2500 years ago Habakkuk, a prophet of Judah, had the same question. He lived at a time when Judah was violent and wicked, and many innocents suffered. The prophet asked, “How long, O Lord, must I call for help? But you do not listen! ‘Violence is everywhere!’ I cry, but you do not come to save. Must I forever see these evil deeds? Why must I watch all this misery?” (Habakkuk 1:1-3). It appeared to Habakkuk that God was ignoring the problem of pain and suffering.

Job had a similar complaint. He had a large stock of animals that were stolen, and all his farmhands were killed. His house was destroyed and all of his children died. He contracted a terrible case of boils from head to foot. And as he sat in misery scraping his running sores with broken pieces of pottery, the only comfort and advice he got from his wife was, “Curse God and die” ( Job 2:9).

Instead, Job cursed the day he was born and asked, “Why is life given to those with no future, those destined by God to live in distress?...I have no peace, no quietness. I have no rest; instead, only trouble comes” ( Job 3:23,26 nlt). He could not understand why God would allow such suffering for those without a future.

King David had his questions for God too. He was misunderstood, mistreated, and betrayed, and he suffered at the hands of his enemies. He cried out, "O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way? How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day?...Turn and answer me, O Lord my God!" (Psalm 13:1-3).

What is God’s answer? Why doesn’t he stop the madness? Today in the twenty-first century violence is everywhere. Life is also given to those with no real future. We see the misery and hopelessness of the starving and broken. Where is God? Why does he let it go on?

Even Jesus asked why. Jesus, who was very God and very man, also had the same question. He knew he was to suffer and die a cruel death for the sins of the world. Yet just before his crucifixion he prayed, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Matthew 26:39).

It is not strange that on a human level Jesus didn’t want to suffer. It is clear that he was struggling with the knowledge that he would experience great pain and suffering. Humanly he didn’t want to endure the torturous death of the cross—yet he would do it for his Father.

And hours later Jesus asks perhaps the most perplexing question of all time. While he is hanging on the cross, dying a hideous death, he musters the strength to ask, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27:46). What a question to come from the Son of God to his Father! Jesus was actually quoting Psalm 22:1, where King David asked that question. David followed up that question with, “Why are you so far away when I groan for help? Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night you hear my voice, but I find no relief” (Psalm 22:1-2).

It is as if Jesus spoke on behalf of the entire human race with this question: “Why, God, have you abandoned us?” It was as if his cry was amplified to echo back to the expulsion of the first couple from the Garden of Eden and forward to the end of time, asking, “Why don’t you do something about this now?”

We don’t know if or how God answered his Son on the cross. The questions of Habakkuk, Job, and David were left unexplained. Search all of Scripture and you will find very few answers. The apostle Peter suggests that God is waiting for more people to come to him. “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise to return,” Peter says. “No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent…the Lord is waiting so that people have time to be saved” (2 Peter 3:9,15).

Listen to what God said to Habakkuk. “Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it” (Habakkuk 1:5).

Yes, he had a plan then and he still does. He had a reason for doing what he was doing, he just wasn’t going to explain it all to Habakkuk. Sure—God could explain to us today why there is suffering and why he is taking centuries to accomplish his ultimate goal of “reconciling the world to himself” (2 Corinthians 5:19).

He could explain why he hasn’t yet recreated this world as a place where “there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain” (Revelation 21:4). But he has chosen not to explain it to us. Yet that doesn’t mean we don’t have an answer.

It seems that God gave Habakkuk understanding of how he wanted him—and all of us—to respond.

Rather than trying to figure out the details of his plan, God wants us to focus on him as a person. He told Habakkuk that these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked; but the righteous will live by their faith (Habakkuk 2:3-4) 

There it is: God wants us to trust in him personally even if we don’t understand his plan.

Job finally got the same message—that he was to put faith in the person of God. Job said to him, “I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. You asked ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me” ( Job 42:2-3). And how did he come to the conclusion that God’s ways and his plans were beyond his comprehension? By knowing God the person. “I had only heard about you before,” Job said, “but now I have seen you with my own eyes” ( Job 42:5). His focus was no longer on a plan, but in a person whom he trusted to know what he was doing.

King David understood the message that he was to live by faith in the person of God, too. Right after he asked God, “Why have you abandoned me?” he declared, “Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. Our ancestors trusted in you, and you rescued them…they trusted in you and were never disgraced” (Psalm 22:3-5). Read the entirety of Psalm 22 and you will find David got the message. He may not have understood why God delayed in making all things right, but he believed he was good and knew what he was doing. And while Jesus as God knew that his suffering was the only solution for sin, suffering, and death, he modelled for us what we must do—place our faith and trust in God, who does all things right in his right timing.

We may not understand God’s plan, but we can trust in his person. He is faithful and just and always judges rightly. And he is always with us. Jesus said, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid” ( John 14:27).

He prayed to his Father to send us his Spirit—the Holy Spirit to guide us, comfort us, and be with us no matter what happens. Jesus said, “Be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

Ultimately, God is allowing evil in the world for a purpose, otherwise, he would not let it exist.

Therefore, we must trust Him that He knows what He is doing.

ANGELIC BEINGS – ANGELS - ARE THERE ANGELS WALKING ON EARTH

ANGELIC BEINGS – ANGELS

ARE THERE ANGELS WALKING ON EARTH

Stes de Necker

Angels have been the subject of numerous news magazines, countless books, movies, television shows, poems, essays and a myriad of written novels. You can find them on the internet, postcards, T-shirts, calendars, and even sunglasses. In fact, entire seminars, newsletters, and boutiques have been devoted to these beings.

The world is experiencing a wave of angel-mania.

Polls have shown that most people do believe angels exist. Many people also believe that they have personal guardian angels, or that they have felt an angelic presence at some time. Even the majority of teenagers say they believe there are angels.

The word angel comes from the Greek word meaning "messenger." The matching Hebrew word mal'ak has the same meaning. Sometimes, the Bible uses these words for human beings: ordinary people who carry messages (Job 1:14; Luke 7:24; 9:52) prophets (Isaiah 42:19; Malachi 3:1) priests (Malachi 2:7) church leaders (Rev 1:20) Sometimes, it speaks figuratively of things or events as “messengers”… the pillar of cloud (Exodus 14:19) pestilence or plagues (2 Samuel 24:16-17) But it usually describes the whole range of spirits whom God has created, including both good and evil angels, and special categories such as cherubim, seraphim, and the archangel. Angels are mentioned at least 108 times in the Old Testament and 165 times in the New Testament.

Angels have superhuman intelligence and powers. People today often describe angels as kind, non-judgmental, wise, and loving beings. But do they take into account that there are also fallen angels who may not be so nonthreatening and loving? In many cases, the answer is no.

Let's examine what the Bible teaches us about these angelic beings.

Angels were created by God.

In Colossians 1:16 we read: "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him". So we can safely assume that God Not only created man, but also angels.

So, do people then become angels after death? I believe the answer is No.

Angels are not glorified human beings. Matthew 22:30 explains that they do not marry or reproduce like humans, and Hebrews 12:22-23 says that when we get to the heavenly Jerusalem, we will be met by “myriads of angels” and “the spirits of righteous men made perfect”—two separate groups. Angels are a company or association, not a race descended from a common ancestor (Luke 20:34-36).

Origin of angels

The Scripture speaks about the creation of angels, therefore, it is clear that they have not existed from all eternity (Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 148:2,5).

Colossians 1:16-17 explains: “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”

The time of their creation is never definitely specified, but it is most probable that it occurred in connection with the creation of the heavens in Genesis 1:1. It may be that God created the angels immediately after He had created the heavens and before He created the Earth—for according to Job 38:4-7, “the sons of God shouted for joy” when He laid the foundations of the Earth.

How many angels are there

While the Scriptures give no definite figures, we are told that the number of angels is very great (Daniel 7:10; Matthew 26:53; Hebrews 12:22). It appears that all angels were created at one time. No new angels are being added to the number. Angels are not subject to death or any form of extinction; therefore they do not decrease in number. It seems reasonable to conclude that there are at least as many spirit beings in existence as there will have been human beings in all their history on Earth.

Angels are numerous. The world of angels is mysterious and, to a large degree, unknown to us. The Bible does not precisely say how many angels exist. It was a "multitude" of the heavenly host that told the shepherds of Jesus' birth (Luke 2:13). Daniel 7:10 tells us, "A thousand thousands ministered to Him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him." That would mean there are more than 100 million angels—a number almost too vast to imagine. Perhaps that is why Job asks, "Can His forces be numbered?" (Job 25:3 NIV).

Do angels have bodies

Angels are essentially “ministering spirits,” (Hebrews 1:14) and do not have physical bodies like humans. Jesus declared that “a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have” (Luke 24:37-39). 

The Bible does, however, make it clear that angels can only be in one place at a time. They must have some localized presence. Angels can take on the appearance of men when the occasion demands. How else could some “entertain angels unaware” (Hebrews 13:2)? On the other hand, their appearance is sometimes in dazzling white and blazing glory (Matthew 28:2-4).

What do angels look like

Since angels are spirits rather than physical beings, they don’t have to be visible at all (Colossians 1:16). Elisha once prayed that his servant would see the armies of angels surrounding the city, and the young man discovered that he had overlooked a lot of invisible beings (2 Kings 6:17)

Abraham was visited by three heavenly messengers. When angels do appear, they generally appear in the form of men. In Genesis 18, Abraham welcomed three angelic guests who appeared at first to be nothing more than some travellers. In the following chapter, two angels went to Sodom where they were assumed to be simply a pair of human visitors. With the possible exception of one debatable passage in Zechariah 5:9, angels always appear as males rather than females (Mark 16:5).

Sometimes an angel appears to be a man with unusual features. Daniel saw an angel with arms and legs resembling polished metal and precious stones, and a face like lightning (Daniel 10:5-6). The angel that rolled back the stone from Christ’s tomb was radiating dazzling light (Matthew 28:3; Luke 24:4). The book of Revelation describes some highly unusual beings who may be a variety of angel in Revelation 4:6-8. No Biblical angels ever appeared this way. Angels in the Bible never appear as cute, chubby infants! They are always full-grown adults. When people in the Bible saw an angel, their typical response was to fall on their faces in fear and awe, not to reach out and tickle an adorable baby!

Do angels have wings

Some special angels do (seraphims) had wings, but the most never had wings. Some Bible passages picture angels with wings (Isaiah 6:2,6). Other verses talk about angels flying, and we assume that the wings would be useful for that flight (Daniel 9:21). However, I suspect that angels can move around without having to depend on wings. Most references to angels in the Bible say nothing about wings, and in passages like Genesis 18-19, it is certain that no wings were visible.

How do angels compare to human beings

Angels never die (Luke 20:36). Angel deliver divine messages.

They are stronger than man, but not omnipotent (Psalm 103:20; 2 Peter 2:11). They are greater than man in knowledge, but not omniscient (2 Samuel 14:20; Matthew 24:36). They are more noble than man, but not omnipresent (Daniel 9:21-23, 10:10-14).

Angels can take on the appearance of men when the occasion demands. How else could some “entertain angels unaware” (Hebrews 13:2)? On the other hand, their appearance is sometimes in dazzling white and blazing glory (Matthew 28:2-4). Angels do not marry or reproduce like humans (Matthew 22:30). Angels are a company or association, not a race descended from a common ancestor (Luke 20:34-36). We are called “sons of men,” but angels are never called “sons of angels.” Angels are spirits (Hebrews 1:14), like the soul of man, but without a physical body. Such expressions as “like the angels” (Luke 20:36), and the fact that whenever angels appeared to man it was always in a human form (Gen. 18:2; 19:1, 10; Luke 24:4; Acts 1:10), and the titles that are applied to them (“sons of God,” Job 1:6; 38:7; Dan. 3:25; compare 28) and to men (Luke 3:38), all seem to indicate some resemblance between them and the human race.

Are all angels good

Sorry to say but you can’t trust every angel!

The Bible classifies some angels as “elect” (1 Timothy 5:21) or “holy” (Matthew 25:31; Mark 8:38). All angels were originally holy, enjoying the presence of God (Matthew 18:10) and the environment of heaven (Mark 13:32). Other angels oppose God under the leadership of Satan (Matthew 25:41; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Ephesians 6:12). We often call these “demons.”

There is actually a great unseen conflict raging that goes beyond anything we can imagine. It is not, however, a fight between two equal and eternal forces.

The battle of good and evil. It never stops. A perpetual war from the time you were born.

Never mind the war has gone on for thousands of years behind the scenes in a realm we cannot see. It has always been a war and it is always been a war for your soul, and yet few people understand the depths of it, fewer realize their own role in it.

God who created all beings is still in charge, and once He has used wicked angels to accomplish His purposes, He will bring them to a final defeat.

What is the job description for an angel

The Bible does speak about classes of angelic beings like cherubim (Ezekiel 1) and seraphim (Isaiah 6). We also know the names of two notable angels: Michael (Daniel 10:13; Jude 9) and Gabriel (Daniel 9:21; Luke 1:19,26).

Michael, the Archangel

The term "archangel" occurs just twice in the New Testament (1 Thessalonians 4:16 and Jude 1:9). In both instances, it is used in the singular and is preceded by the definite article "the." This would indicate that there is only one archangel. It would appear that Michael is the top-ranking angel in God's heavenly host. He will play a special role in the rapture of the church:

"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17)

As powerful as Michael is, he does have his limitations—as well as a healthy respect for his adversary, Lucifer. "Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, 'The Lord rebuke you!'"(Jude 1:9). Ultimately, however, Scripture says that Michael and the angels will prevail over Satan and cast him out of heaven forever (see Revelation 12:7–9).

Gabriel

This high-ranking angel brought special messages to God's people. He appeared to Daniel and revealed the future to him (Daniel 8:16; 9:21). He appeared to Zacharias regarding the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:19). He appeared to Mary to announce the birth of Jesus (Luke 1:26–38).

The Cherubim

The Bible depicts these beings as powerful and majestic angelic creatures, servants of God, which surround God's throne (see Ezekiel 1:5–14; Psalm 99:1). They appear as winged human-animal forms (Revelation 4:6–8). God sent them to guard Eden after the expulsion of Adam and Eve: "So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life" (Genesis 3:24).

The Seraphim

These angelic beings seem to hold a special position of worshipping and praising God. The prophet Isaiah vividly describes them in his vision of God:

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory! (Isaiah 6:1–3).

We don’t know whether every angel carries out the same tasks, or whether some of them specialize in certain areas.

The unnamed angels who appear most often in Scripture carry out a variety of tasks—all designed to serve God… Worship and praise—This is the main activity portrayed in heaven (Isaiah 6:1-3; Revelation 4-5).

Messengers—They serve as messengers to communicate God’s will to men. They helped reveal the law to Moses (Acts 7:52-53), and served as the carriers of much of the material in Daniel, and Revelation.

Guiding—Angels gave instructions to Joseph about the birth of Jesus (Matthew 1-2), to the women at the tomb, to Philip (Acts 8:26), and to Cornelius (Acts 10:1-8).

Providing—God has used angels to provide physical needs such as food for Hagar (Genesis 21:17-20), Elijah (1 Kings 19:6), and Christ after His temptation (Matthew 4:11).

Protecting—Keeping God’s people out of physical danger, as in the cases of Daniel and the lions, and his three friends in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3 and 6).

Delivering—Getting God’s people out of danger once they’re in it. Angels released the apostles from prison in Acts 5, and repeated the process for Peter in Acts 12.

Strengthening and encouraging—Angels strengthened Jesus after His temptation (Matt 4:11), encouraged the apostles to keep preaching after releasing them from prison (Acts 5:19-20), and told Paul that everyone on his ship would survive the impending shipwreck (Acts 27:23-25).

Answering prayer—God often uses angels as His means of answering the prayers of His people (Daniel 9:20-24; 10:10-12; Acts 12:1-17).

Caring for believers at the moment of death—In the story of Lazarus and the rich man, we read that angels carried the spirit of Lazarus to “Abraham’s bosom” when he died (Luke 16:22).

Executioners—Angels are sometimes used by God to punish sin. An angel of the Lord went forth and smote an Assyrian camp (2 Kings 19:20-34)—“behold, they were all dead corpses.” The Assyrian army was annihilated. A destroying angel was sent, but later withheld, to punish David for his vanity in taking a census of the great number of his people. At the time of Moses and the Exodus, the Egyptian firstborn where killed by an angel of death.

Angels have a special work and ministry in the lives of Christians. Angels are all around us, taking care of us and ministering to us even when we are not aware of their presence. "Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?" (Hebrews 1:14). 

Angels are sent by God to deliver us from our troubles. "The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them" (Psalm 34:7). God also sends angels to bring His messages to guide us in our own ministry (Acts 8:26).

Angels do not seek our worship. If an angel were to appear to us right now, we might be tempted to worship it. This happened to the apostle John. "Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. Then he said to me, "See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God" (Revelation 22:8–9). The angel would not accept John's worship.

There are not only holy angels, but also unholy ones (fallen angels or demons). If an awe-inspiring angel were to appear to us right now, we would be inclined to believe just about anything he said—even if it were a different gospel! That is why Scripture tells us to test any so-called angel's message with what we find in God's Word. "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:8).

Angels in Our Lives

We probably will never know how many times angels have delivered us, gotten us out of tight situations, protected us from harm, or even directly spoken to us. Does that mean that each of us has a guardian angel? Matthew 18:10 seems to indicate that possibility: "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 18:10).

God dispatched an angel to personally escort Peter from prison in response to the prayers of believers (Acts 12:5–11).

In Numbers chapter 22, we read the story of Balaam, who was asked by the king of Moab to place a curse on the Israelites. When Balaam began his journey to the king, his donkey saw an angel standing in their path and refused to go on. After several beatings from Balaam, God enabled the donkey to talk and protest Balaam's beatings. At that point, the Lord opened Balaam's eyes to see the angel. The angel then explained that he had come to stop Balaam because he was headed for destruction.

One of the most dramatic and well-known stories about angels in Scripture is the story of Daniel in the lions' den (see Daniel 6:16–22). The aged prophet found himself in this dilemma because God had raised him up to a position of honor in the kingdom of Darius. His enemies scrutinized his every move, but they could find no inconsistency in his life. So they baited a trap. They had the king unwittingly sign a decree that no one could pray to any god but him. Daniel prayed to the true God, as his enemies expected, and his punishment was to be thrown into a den of hungry lions. Just when it appeared that all was lost, God dispatched one or more of His angels to deliver him by shutting the mouths of the lions.

Angelic activity in Daniel's prayer

Daniel chapter 10 gives us a rare glimpse into what happens behind the scenes when we pray. In that story, Daniel's prayer is heard in heaven, and an angel is dispatched with a special message for Daniel. The angel encountered opposing forces, and he became engaged in supernatural combat, delaying the message for 21 days! Michael, the archangel, was finally dispatched to help the other angel, who then gave the message to Daniel. This incident makes it clear that delays in God's answering of our prayers are not necessarily denials.

Yet, it is unclear whether we actually have personal guardian angels. One thing is certain: God promises His protection to those who closely follow Him. In Psalm 91:1, God promises, "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty" (Psalm 91:1).

The Hebrew word used for dwell literally means "in quiet and resting; enduring and remaining with consistency." The phrase shall abide literally means "to stay overnight," much like someone being offered the protection and comfort of home. When we follow this condition, we are also promised angelic protection: "For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways" (Psalm 91:11).

For our part, we are to stay as close to Jesus as possible. To "abide under the shadow of the Almighty" would indicate extreme closeness.

Have you ever tried to walk in someone's shadow? You have to stay very close.

We are not to test the Lord, but to trust the Lord.

If we do our part, God will do His.

His promise of angelic protection and guidance stands.

The unfalsifiable nature of religious belief - Mother Teresa's Loss of Faith

THE UNFALSIFIABLE NATURE OF RELIGIOUS BELIEF

Mother Teresa's Loss of Faith

Stes de Necker

Few people are aware of the decades-long crisis of faith in the life of Agnes Bojaxhiu, better known as Mother Teresa.

A biography, Come Be My Light, consists of numerous letters Teresa exchanged with her church superiors. These letters reveal that for the last fifty years of her life, she felt as if God had withdrawn his presence from her and would not respond to her prayers.

Unable to feel any hint of God’s existence – “neither in her heart or in the Eucharist”, according to Brian Kolodiejchuk, the book’s editor – she lived in a permanent state of silent misery and despair. 

Some excerpts from Teresa’s letters reveal just how tormented she was:

“I call, I cling, I want — and there is no One to answer — no One on Whom I can cling — no, No One. — Alone … Where is my Faith — even deep down right in there is nothing, but emptiness & darkness — My God — how painful is this unknown pain — I have no Faith — I dare not utter the words & thoughts that crowd in my heart — & make me suffer untold agony.”

“So many unanswered questions live within me afraid to uncover them — because of the blasphemy — If there be God — please forgive me — When I try to raise my thoughts to Heaven — there is such convicting emptiness that those very thoughts return like sharp knives & hurt my very soul. — I am told God loves me — and yet the reality of darkness & coldness & emptiness is so great that nothing touches my soul.”

This crisis of faith began in 1946, the same year that she began her evangelistic work among the poor in Kolkata, and continued unabated, except for a few weeks in 1958, until her death in 1997.

The church assigned a long series of priests and bishops to act as her confessors, trying to help her recover her faith, but all of them ultimately met with failure.

Despite her intense inner turmoil, Teresa always kept up a facade of cheerful piety in public, professing religious sentiments which she did not truly feel. Her letters reveal that this was a fully conscious act of deception. She called her smile “a mask”, and wrote privately to a confidant about one public appearance: “I spoke as if my very heart was in love with God — tender, personal love… If you were [there], you would have said, ‘What hypocrisy.'”

The inability to feel God’s presence is a common element of deconversion stories, but as Teresa’s letters show, it happens in people who remain believers as well.

Of course, atheists should not be at all surprised by this, since we are well aware that there is no god there to feel. In the initial ecstasy of conversion, a new believer may convince themselves that they have felt God’s presence, but after the exhilaration fades, the sense of presence often goes with it. If this can happen to a believer as famed as Mother Teresa, it undoubtedly happens to others as well.

It’s an open question just how many other theists may be going through similar emotional agony, struggling in vain to convince themselves that they feel the presence of God. Almost certainly, these struggles are severely underreported, because believers are loath to admit them – each one concealing their own torment because they are convinced they are the only one experiencing it, and thus contributing to the same misconception among all the others who are feeling the same thing.

Although her letters show she considered atheism on more than one occasion, Teresa never publicly admitted the truth about how she felt. (She asked the church to destroy her letters, but that request was not granted.)

It seems that, like many believers, she became so locked into her religion that she never even considered leaving it to be a live option. Sadly, she is not the first and will not be the last person to put themselves through this unnecessary suffering by vainly clinging to false dogma.

This is yet another of the ways in which unfounded faith ends up causing real pain and suffering to real people.

Teresa’s inner suffering was not helped by the Catholic Church. If anything, its masochistic, pain-glorifying teachings only exacerbated her problem, by encouraging her to stay and suffer rather than seek a different path where she might have found happiness.

Some of Teresa’s confessors told her that her darkness was “reparative” – in other words, a blessing granted by God that let her experience some of what Jesus felt while being crucified. As one advisor put it, “It was the redeeming experience of her life when she realized that the night of her heart was the special share she had in Jesus’ passion.”

Not only did these teachings prolong Teresa’s suffering, they further demonstrate the unfalsifiable nature of religious belief.

When God’s presence is felt, that is evidence of God’s existence; when God’s presence is not felt, that is also considered evidence of God’s existence.

“The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread but there are many more dying for a little love. The poverty in the West is a different kind of poverty -- it is not only a poverty of loneliness but also of spirituality. There's a hunger for love, as there is a hunger for God.” (Mother Teresa)

These beliefs are formulated to be perfectly circular, immune to logic.

"People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.  

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.  
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. 

Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. 

Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. 

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten. 

Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. 

Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God. 

It was never between you and them anyway."

EASTER AND THE CRUCIFICTION AND RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST - WHAT IT MEANS TO BE CRUCIFIED

EASTER AND THE CRUCIFICTION AND RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE CRUCIFIED

                                                                                                             Stes de Necker

According to the Bible, Jesus’ death and resurrection occurred around the time of the Jewish Passover, which was celebrated on the first full moon following the vernal equinox.

Prior to 325 A.D., Easter was celebrated on the Sunday immediately following the first full moon after the vernal (spring) equinox. At the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D., the Western Church decided to establish a more standardized system for determining the date of Easter.

Today in Western Christianity, Easter is always celebrated on the Sunday immediately following the Paschal Full Moon date of the year.

This year we commemorate Easter on 16 April 2017 and on Friday 14 April 2017 the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus.

But do we realize what it means to die on a cross ?

Dr . Coen Slabber, former DG of the Department of Health, explains:

" It was nine o'clock in the morning when they crucified him ( Mark 15:25 ) . Jesus died that same day - about three pm. John tells us that the two criminals crucified with Jesus were still alive so the soldiers had their legs broken. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break his legs (John 19:33 ).

We must accept Jesus' physical condition, before his arrest, was good - He covered great distances barefoot. Between his arrival at Gethsemane and the start of His crucifixion, Jesus suffered severe emotional stress. We read of Jesus ' struggle in Gethsemane, the repeated trials, his friends ( the disciples ) that let Him in the lurch , flogging by the Jews , etc. . He probably did not sleep that Thursday night. He had between 2.5 and 3 km to walk from one trial to another. This has made ​​Him vulnerable to the scourge of the Roman soldiers.

There are three aspects of Jesus ' death which are controversial to physicians:

( 1 ) What was the cause of his death ?

( 2 ) Why did Jesus died so soon? According to Mark, the total duration of Jesus on the cross were six hours . It is very short for a young man. Why?

( 3 ) What was the nature of the wound in Jesus' side?

We begin with an overview of Jesus ' crucifixion.

What do we know of Jesus ' crucifixion?

There are few details of the crucifixion of Jesus in the gospels. It was probably because crucifixion and scourging were so common that the evangelists did not deem it necessary to say much about this. I will not say anything about the psychological and spiritual suffering that Jesus suffered. I will only deal with the anatomical aspects of his suffering and death.

For purposes of this article I want to emphasize certain aspects.

1 . Medieval and Renaissance painters have always pictured Jesus where he hanged on the whole cross. The upright of the cross was usually implanted in the ground. Convicted had to carry their own cross from the prison to the place of execution. It is estimated that a cross weighed approximately 35 and 50 kg. 

2 . Most paintings show that the nails were inserted in Jesus' hands.  Nails in the palms would, however tore out because of the full body weight hanging on them.  The nails were usually inserted between the bones of the wrist or just above the wrist. Where does this misconception come from?

Anatomists - especially in ancient times - considered the wrist part of the hand.

Let us now try to determine chronologically what happened to Jesus during his last 24 hours.

( a) The physical suffering of Jesus did not started at Calvary, but already in Gethsemane . It is interesting that Luke, the doctor, is the only one who describes Jesus’ sweating: His sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground ( Luke 22:44 ) . Prior Luke tells us that Jesus was in anguish, and that he prayed more earnestly. Can you sweat blood? 

Matidrose (sweat) is a very rare phenomenon and is usually the result of severe emotional stress. Small blood vessels in the sweat glands bursts so that the blood and sweat mix.

( b ) That night Jesus appeared before Annas , Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin . Already here begins his physical trauma: One of the guards slapped him because he did not like Jesus' answered the high priest 's question. The men watching Jesus, mocked him and beated Him. They blindfolded him and said that he was a prophet so He should be able to say who it was that hit him.

( c ) The morning Jesus came to the Jewish Council. By this time he was all bruised and probably dehydrated. He had not slept much. He was taken early on the morning to Pontius Pilate, who, as a result of the calls from the crowd, handed Jesus over to be flogged and crucified.

( d ) During flogging Jesus' hands were tied to a pole above his head. Jewish law has a limit on the number of strokes placed - forty. It is doubtful whether the Roman soldiers adhere to these restrictions or even seem to care. Jesus was flogged with a flagrum.  It was a short whip with several heavy leather thongs. Nearby the points of these thongs were tiny lead balls or pieces of woven bone. 

The lead balls in the whip causing severe bruising . The thongs tearing the skin. Later even the underlying muscles hurt and torn. The skin on the back hanging in long strips. Pain and blood loss was severe. The amount of pain and blood loss determines how long such a person would survive on the cross would. If the soldier thought that the victim was near death, the beating stopped.

( e ) The soldiers covered Jesus in a purple robe , put a crown of thorns on his head and gave him a stick in his right hand . The soldiers spit on Jesus and struck him with the stick over his head. This may have driven the thorns deeper into His scalp. We all know that the scalp is very rich in blood and can bleed badly.

( f ) At this stage, the mantle would have stuck to Jesus' backs because of the clotted blood . In order to pull the robe off Him must have been very painful and caused profuse bleeding.

   

( g ) Then Jesus had to carry His cross to Golgotha. The cross was usually tied to the victim's shoulders with ropes.

Now the procession along the Via Dolorosa. When Jesus could not carry the cross any more, Simon of Cyrene was commandeered to help. We have to accept that wearing the cross Jesus ' wounds reopened and caused further bleeding. 

( h ) At Calvary the soldiers gave Jesus a mixture of wine and myrrh ( gall ). This blend has a mild anesthetic effect.  Jesus refuses to drink it. The normal procedure is that the hands / wrists were nailed first. Then the transom was attached to the vertical pole and lifted. Then the feet were nailed to the vertical pole.

( i ) Gradually the weight of the victim lower the victim down . More weight was placed on the nails in the wrist. Terrible pain shooting down the hand and into the arm, because there is pressure placed on major nerves that run through the wrist. To prevent this, the victim tries lifting himself but now he puts his full weight on the nails in his feet.

( j ) As the arms are tired , severe cramps develop in the muscles . The muscles between the ribs cannot  function anymore. Air can be inhaled but not exhaled. Jesus had to raise him to breathe out. Every time he does His raw back scrapes against the bark of the cross. This causes severe pain and bleeding. It is during this time that the seven short cross words were uttered.

( k ) There is now a further pain - a pain pressing as the pericardium slowly filled with fluid and gradually places pressure on the heart. It makes you think of Psalm 22:15 I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax, it is melted within me.

( l ) We are nearing the end . The loss of blood and fluid now reaches critical levels; the heart struggles to pump; the lungs can hardly breathe air. Again it reminds us of Psalm 22 : I was so little like a potsherd , my tongue cleave to my palate, you leave me like I'm dead ( Psalm 22:16) . It was then that Jesus said: I am thirsty. The soldiers made a sponge with sour wine, put it on a hisop stick and gave it to Jesus .

( m ) He realizes that death is imminent: It is finished . With a great effort Jesus uttered His last words: Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. His mission was complete. He died.

( n ) To make sure that Jesus was dead, one of the soldiers stuck a spear in his ribs - and immediately blood and water came out.” 

Let us never forget how great the price was what He paid for our sins. 

JOB - The Hardest Lesson we can learn - Why do bad things happen to good people

THE BOOK OF JOB

The Hardest Lesson we can learn

Why do bad things happen to good people

Stes de Necker

For me, the gripping and challenging book of Job is perhaps the most profound book in the Bible.

The books from Genesis to Esther are all narrative books, and are vitally meaningful to us as living parables, as types worked out in actual history by which we can see what is going on in our own lives.

Job begins another section, the poetical books of the Bible, which also includes Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and the little book of Lamentations, tucked in behind Jeremiah.

Some biblical scholars have said that the book of Job is perhaps the greatest poem in all literature. Nothing that Shakespeare has written exceeds this book in beauty of expression. It is admired everywhere as one of the most beautiful writings that man has ever known. But it is more than an expressive, dramatic writing; it has a very great message for all of us. 

It is a drama, an epic drama much like The Iliad and The Odyssey, the poems by Homer from the Greek world.

But the book of Job is also history. Job was an actual, living person and these events actually took place, but God recounts them for us in this beautiful style so that we might have an answer to the age-old, haunting question:

"Why does apparently senseless tragedy strike men?"

Any time you get into difficulties it is well to turn to the book of Job. Here is a man who experienced an agony of human despair and desolation of spirit which accompanied the apparently meaningless, senseless tragedies that came into his life.

Now, the ultimate answer to that question is given right at the beginning of the book. Right in the beginning we are handed certain program notes that explain to us something about the drama, something which even the actors themselves are not permitted to know.

The answer given is that senseless suffering arises out of Satan's continual challenge to the government of God.

So, as the book opens, we find God meeting with the angelic congregation. Among them is Satan, who strides in sneering and swaggering, convinced that self-interest is the only real motive for human behaviour.

We must remember that Satan was once a heavenly angel before he was cast out of Heaven. 

(See my article at http://stesdeneckerblog.blogspot.co.za/2015/09/satan-judas-of-heaven.html)

Satan's philosophy is that the question "What's in it for me?" is the only accurate explanation for why people do anything.

And here, in the presence of God, he asserts that anyone who claims that human beings act from any other motive is simply a religious phony; furthermore, he claims he can prove it.

God says, rather patiently, "All right, we'll test your theory." Then he selects the man Job to be the proving ground.

In World War II at the opening of the war between Japan and the United States, it looked as though this conflict would be staged in the Pacific Ocean -- very likely the islands of Hawaii, for the battle began at Pearl Harbor. But very early in the war, as you will remember, events took a sudden startling turn and without a word of warning the whole theatre of battle shifted abruptly to the South Pacific. 

For the first time, Americans began to hear of strange names of islands, like "Guadalcanal" and others, There, in those quiet, obscure, out-of-the way corners of the earth, the greatest powers on earth were locked in mortal combat. The islands became the battleground for the great fight between empires.

And something like this happened in the story of Job. Here is a man going about his private affairs, unaware that he has suddenly become the center of God's attention.

For the time being all of God's activity has focused upon him, and he has become the battleground for a conflict between God and Satan in which God is planning to pull the rug out from under Satan, and to reveal him as the phony that he is.

Job is that battleground, and Satan immediately moves in with shock troops.

In chapter 1 we read that, one by one, the props are pulled out of Job's life. It is a though some Western Union telegram boy delivers a series of messages to Job about terrible catastrophes. Hard on the heels of the first comes another one, and the messages keep coming in.

First, all Job's oxen have been taken by enemy raids, and then all his asses have been decimated.

Next, word comes that his sheep have been killed by a terrible electric storm, and crowding in after that is the news that his great herd of camels, true wealth in the oriental world, has been wiped out in a natural catastrophe.

Then comes the heartrending news that his seven sons and three daughters were together in one home enjoying a birthday celebration when a great tornado hit and the house was demolished. All of his children were killed in one fatal blow.

Yet Job remains steadfast.  Covered in dirt and ashes, Job is sitting on the rubbish dump. At the end of chapter 1 his response to this terrible series of tragic, senseless accidents is:

"Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return; the LORD gives, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." (Job 1:21 RSV)

I often wonder if I would have responded in that way.

Satan is somewhat taken aback, so he asks God to change the rules of the game. Satan has decided to attack Job more directly and petitions God for the right to strike Job's own body. This God grants. Without warning, Job is suddenly stricken with a series of terrible boils, or carbuncles.

I remember as young boy I had a boil on my arm, so I can have deep sympathy for poor old Job who was covered in boils all over his body!

There is nothing more aggravating than a painful boil which is not relieved by any kind of medication. You can only grit your teeth and endure agony until the boil comes to a head, and heals itself.

Consider how Job is stricken with these from the top of his head to the sole of his foot. He hardly knows what to do, but is determined to wait it out. As the malady continues, his wife is the one whose faith succumbs. She turns on him and says, "Are you still holding fast to your integrity? Why don't you curse God and die?" Job has to stand alone, but he is determined to be faithful.

Then comes the final test, when he receives a visit from three of his friends.

At this point the whole book slightly shifts its focus. We now are no longer looking only at Job but also at his controversy with these three friends, and their discourse occupies the major part of the book.

From their very human point of view, they attempt to answer that same haunting question, "Why do senseless tragedies afflict men?"

The major part of the book, written in beautifully poetic language, records the attempts by these men to come to an answer. And the three friends' answers are all the same. They answer the question of Job's problems with smug, dogmatic assurances that only one explanation is possible: he has committed some awful sin. They try to break down Job's defences with arguments.

Job’s friends are not necessarily wrong in their explanation. There are tragic events, catastrophes, heartache, pain, and suffering, which do occur because of sin. Any time that we violate the laws of God's universe, including the laws of health, there is an immediate and sometimes violent physical reaction and much suffering comes from that.

But the problem in Job’s friends' arguments lay in their dogmatic assertion that this is the only explanation possible for all kinds of suffering.

They each take three rounds with Job. Each of them presents three arguments, nine arguments in all, and each plays the same tune.

They try various approaches. First they try sarcasm and irony. Then they appeal to Job's honesty. 

Then they accuse him of specific crimes and misdeeds. Finally they act hurt and go away, miffed and sulking, pride fully appealing to Job' s conscience not to insult them anymore.

All the time they are attacking his integrity with the argument that if God is indeed just, then the righteous are always blessed and the wicked always suffer; therefore, if an individual is suffering, it must be because there is something wrong in his life. This is their argument. To these men, the explanation is a simple matter of cause and effect and is quite logical. It is neat and tidy and explains everything; that is, unless you happen to be the sufferer.

At first Job is slightly irritated with these friends. But then he becomes angry and, finally, sarcastic.

In the opening lines of his reply, he delivers a cutting piece of irony: "I am sure you alone are the people and wisdom is going to die with you." (Job 12:2) "You've got all the answers, you've solved all the problems, you know everything. So there's no use talking to you any longer!" With bitter sarcasm he replies that their explanation of his suffering is in error. Resentful, he openly entreats them to understand.

He says he can't confess sin because he is genuinely unaware of anything he has done that has offended God. Moreover, he can't believe in justice any longer because their arguments that the wicked always suffer simply are not true. He points out that many people who are very wicked, notoriously wicked, are prospering and flourishing and living in ease, and nothing horrible is happening to them.

Furthermore, he says, he doesn't know what to do because God won't listen to him; he doesn't even have a chance to plead his case before God, and he complains that God hides from him and cannot be found.

Eventually Job actually shouts at these friends in the turmoil of his confusion, bewilderment, anger, hurt, and frustration. He says he is afraid of this God, who is not the God he has known. He doesn't know what has happened to this dear old friend whom he could always rely upon.

Job has taken a strange turn in his attitude now that these awful things are happening to him.

He is uncertain what to think or say.

The glorious thing about this dear man is that throughout the whole book he is utterly and completely honest.

Confused and bewildered and puzzled by what is happening, he simply blurts out his thoughts. He refuses to admit things that he cannot accept: "All these pat answers don't help at all!" In his desolation he expresses in various ways the ultimate cry of the human spirit. Some wonderful verses emerge from this discourse by Job.

Stripped as he is to his very soul, he cries out again and again with some of the deepest expressions of the human heart. In chapter 9 he says of God, “For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him, that we should come to trial together.” (Job 9:32 RSV)

In Hebrew, his words are literally, 'Would that there were an umpire between us, oh that there were a daysman, a mediator between us who might lay his hand upon us both.' (Job 9:32-33)

That is the cry of a heart that recognizes that God is higher and greater and richer and holier than man, and man can't reach him. It is the cry for a mediator to come between them.

Then in chapter 14 comes another expression out of this man's faithful heart:

“If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my service I would wait, till my release should come.” (Job 14:14)

"If I knew that after I die I would live again, I would gladly wait until that time to argue my case before God!"

"If a man die, shall he live again?" This great cry, the question uttered by so many of us, wells up from the depths of this man's desolation and suffering.

Then in chapter 16 Job cries out, “Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and he that vouches for me is on high.” (Job 16:19 RSV)

Earlier he had cried out for a mediator: "Oh, that I might have somebody step in between me and God." Now at last, born of his desperation, "I realize now that the only one who can adequately argue my case for me is God himself. If any cause of mine is going to be fairly presented before God, God himself has to do it."

In chapter 19 comes another distressed cry, in which he sounds this note of awful intensity:

"Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book! Oh that with an iron pen and lead they were graven in the rock for ever!" (Job 19:23- 24RSV)

That prayer was fulfilled in this record, the book of Job. Then, at last, a ray of light shines in his darkness:

"For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at last he will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then from my flesh["in my flesh," in the Hebrew] I shall see God." (Job 19:25, 26)

Out of the dark, deep distress of this man come these cries which find their fulfilment in the coming of Jesus Christ. He came to be mediator. He came to give assurance that man shall live again. He came to stand between man and God. He came to stand in the flesh upon the earth that man might see him face-to-face.

Now comes the final blow to Job, after all these so-called friends have had their chance with him and have tried to beat him down their arguments pounding him again and again like a club, poor Job, bruised, defeated, puzzled, bewildered, and confused, now meets with a young man who happened to be standing there all along but who is only now interjected into the picture. His name is Elihu.

Speaking for youth, he stands up to say, "You are all wrong. You friends of Job are wrong because you accuse him unjustly, and Job is wrong because he blames God for his difficulty. He is accusing God in order to exonerate himself."

Elihu points out the weaknesses in both arguments but still offers nothing positive to answer the question of Job's misery.

But suddenly the Lord himself answers Job. In a whirlwind's fury he comes to him and says, "Do you want to debate, Job? You have been saying that you want some answers to your questions and that I have been hiding and am not willing to debate with you. Do you want to debate your case? All right. First, let me see your qualifications. I have a list here of forty questions I would like to ask you, to see if you are competent to understand problems. These are very simple problems, very simple questions, and if you are able to handle these ABC's, then perhaps you are able to debate with me the questions you have in your heart."

Then, in chapters 38 through 40, you have one of the most remarkable passages in all of the Bible.

God takes Job on a tour of nature and asks him question after question about Job's ability to deal with this kind of thing or that kind of thing in nature. Gradually these three chapters draw the picture of a vastly complicated, intricately intertwined universe for which is required a tremendous superhuman mind to direct all these activities, to keep life in balance and to answer all the questions that the Lord is asking Job to answer.

At the end of this overwhelming display of the wisdom of God, Job falls down on his face and says:

"I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees thee; therefore I despise myself,
and repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42:5- 6 RSV)

God's essential argument is that life is too complicated for simple answers!

If you are demanding that God come up with simple answers to these deep and complicated problems, you are asking him to do more than you are able to understand. He is simply saying that only God can adequately deal with the answers to these kinds of questions.

Therefore, man must take the position of trusting him, not arguing with him.

God has displayed in the most amazing way his ability to work out complicated situations while keeping human life and the life of the entire world, with all their tremendously involved complexities, in beautiful balance.

Now if we really see that, then we must trust God to work out these complicated problems of our lives.

Job, overwhelmed by the vast might and wisdom and majesty of God, falls on his face, repents, and learns the lesson that God wants him to learn. Only God has the right to use men for whatever purpose he desires. In other words, God does not exist for man but man exists for God. God is not a glorified bell-boy at whom we can snap our fingers and have him run up asking, "May I take your order?"

We exist for him. We are God's instruments for the working out of his purposes, some of which are so vastly complicated they are quite beyond our ability to understand.

There are many questions which simply cannot be answered because our calculating minds are so inadequate.

The last of the book is a beautiful picture of what James calls the tender mercies of God toward Job (James 5:11).

God says to Job, "Now I want you to pray for your friends, these three dear men, so stubborn, so sure that they had all the answers, so well meaning, so sincere, so dedicated, but such utter blunderers. Pray for them. Job."

Then God said to Job, "How many sheep did you have?" Job said, "Seven thousand." God said, "All right, I will give you fourteen thousand. How many oxen did you have?" And he said, "Five hundred." God replied, "I'll give you a thousand. How many camels?" "Three thousand." "All right, Job, you will have six thousand camels. How many asses did you have?" "Five hundred." "I'll give you a thousand. How many sons and daughters?" "Seven sons and three daughters." "All right, you will have seven sons and three daughters more, doubled. Twice as many. Seven sons and three daughters in glory and seven sons and three daughters on earth."

God restored twice as much to Job and he lived the rest of his life in blessedness and happiness. The account closes with the words:

And Job died, and old man, and full of days. (Job 42:17 RSV)

Now the remarkable thing about this book is the answer we are given: the fact that the backdrop to human suffering is the age-long conflict of Satan's challenge to God's righteous government of the universe.

This answer is never given to Job, at least while he lives. At the beginning of the book you find God, Satan, and Job. At the end of the book, Satan has faded out of the picture entirely and God stands before Job with his arms akimbo, saying, "All right, I am responsible. Any questions?"

The great lesson of the book is that there are times when we cannot be told the whole picture. There are times when God does not adequately explain life to us. There are times when we must trust that not all suffering occurs because we are bad, but because it can also be the source of some final good.

The deepest note in the book may be struck when, out of the desolation of his heart and yet with the Spirit of God within him urging him on to faith in the midst of his bewilderment and confusion, Job says,

“But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10 RSV)

That is the lesson of this book:

Life is too complicated for us to handle alone. It gets so involved that we can't even be given some of the answers at times, but God is saying, "If you just take a look at all the problems that I keep solving on the very simplest levels of life and which even then are far beyond your ability to cope with, can't you trust me to work this one out as well?"

Why do bad things happen to good people....?

In Romans Paul rejoices, "We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

"The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away."   But NEVER will he take away without giving ten times more in return.

We live by grace and grace alone.