1146. The Methods by the Way–Afflictions
The Methods by the Way–Afflictions
"And He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger. "Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee" (Deu_8:3, f. c., 5).
As we look over the history of Israel, we may compare how the Lord has led us and how He hath sought to prove us. Our case will fall, more or less, into the channel by which the Lord proved Israel. God's methods of yesterday are much the same as His methods of to-day.
1. He suffered thee to hunger. There is nothing pleasant about hunger. When the stomach is empty your heart is faint. God did not allow Israel to hunger in order that she might complain. He wanted to discover whether Israel's trust would pass unwaveringly through such a test.
There was One who hungered forty days and forty nights, but He never complained. When satan said to Him, "Command that these stones be made bread," He quickly rebuked the devil, and said, "Man shall not live by bread alone."
How different it was with the children of Israel. Israel doubted God; Israel sought to turn back; Israel cried out, "Can God furnish us food in the wilderness?" Thus did God discover the perverseness of their hearts.
The Spirit led Christ into the wilderness to be tested in order to prove to the whole world that He was the perfect Son; the Spirit led the children of Israel into the wilderness and tested them to prove their ingratitude and shame. The Scripture Christ quoted to satan is this very passage (see Deu_8:3).
2. He chastened thee. We suppose that Israel fretted under the chastening hand of God. It is easy so to do. "No chastening for the present time seemeth joyous, but rather grievous."
The Lord, however, did not chasten Israel that He might hear her complaints; He chastened her that she might afterward bring forth, the peaceable fruit of righteousness. He chastened her for her own profit, that she might be made a partaker of His holiness.
Let those of us who are under discipline, rejoice. Let us lift up the hands that hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees. None of us have ever endured such contradiction of sinners, as Christ endured (see Heb_12:3). So, let us not be weary by the way.
"The God of all grace, Who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus," after we have suffered awhile, will perfect, establish, strengthen and settle us.
Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR