10. Clear words from God about suffering - creation to the kings

There were always clear words and messages from God to His people in the OT – which tree to eat of, when to build an ark, manna from heaven, sandals never wearing out, when to stay and when to move on, how to spy, when to make war, and when to leave it to God, and even a brazen serpent to look upon if they were harmed, a wonderful sign of compassion, used even today.

God did not hide from the wilderness Israelites, for in the wonderful familiarity with Him, with Moses’ shining face and the tables of stone, they had every proof that He was with them. There were rules on how to worship, but even that did not make obedient children. God’s life instruction and every provision of over reaching care, made little difference to the Israelites. They responded with ill temper, sin, evil, unfaithfulness and rebellion and they turned their eyes to other gods, and they listened unhearing to the His songs He sung them about the hiding of His face from them, if they continued in their sin. They said to God ”All that you have said we will do”, but they did not.

Why did their faith falter and their hope desert them? Why did their evil ways bring them so much pleasure in the vast desert in the 40 years journey, and later in their life in the chosen land? They did not thirst in the waterless land. They were fed and sheltered. God made every provision for their health and safety and their worship of Him even with special day and night lights in the sky. But that was not enough, and they asked for a king saying, “We want to be like the other nations round about”. Seeking to emulate the glory of the other nations in their admiration, they turned away their attention from the desires of God.

Was it that God was too close and that He tended them too closely? That cannot possibly be so. Or was it that there were not enough willing hearts to respond to God, making good relationships with Him? So, when God gave them choice of will their hearts took them towards evil. Why?

God, even in His disappointment with His people, granted them a king, when they asked Him. He promised, “My eyes and my heart will always be there,” 1 Kings 9:3, in the glory of Solomon’s Temple. Yet in one generation, with all the gifts that anyone would ever want from God, and even with the notable gift of wisdom from God, Solomon took Israel from a kingdom dependent on God for every convenience, to a great political and powerful force. But on the way Solomon forsook God and encouraged his subjects to admire their king and his visage, and turned that kingdom into something closely resembling the Egypt from which they had fought so hard to escape.

We often feel God’s unfairness, and His silence, and His hiddenness and so we too have major reasons for disappointment with Him. However, if God leaves room for doubts and doubters, and we know He does, He also leaves room for the faithless, and, in my disappointment, even for me. If there is room for me in my rebellion and disappointment, what is the difference?

The relationship with God must be the difference. God always gives us freewill, He does not abdicate from that, but that does allow Him to be disappointed with us. If we continue in our sin and in our rebellion, disappointing God, He will finally reject us as well, as He did His people. But if we reach out to touch Him, connecting with Him, as He reaches out to us, we will find safety.

Old people often know about the safe harbour, for they enter their final port when they are frail and tired like a ship lowering the sails. They come into a secure place from the raging sea, and with a putting down of the anchor they find help and comfort readily available. It seems without the hustle and bustle of responsibilities in the daily life it is easier to be there with God. So it is for anyone who comes into that safety and lowers his own sail, leaving his/her difficulties with God.

So do overwhelming gifts and great blessings from God ensure there will be no suffering? No. Without a secure relationship with God, riches will be as useless as the riches of the evil man. They were useless for Solomon. Many kings emulated him, and they fell into great evil.