Consider this -
“The LORD is in the right, for I (we) have rebelled against his word”
As a Christian I find it hard to see how God can cause me to suffer. I get sick, I break bones, and I am at the mercy of God’s work which involves natural disasters, failing stock markets, and other people being stupid. But as a child of God I expect to be looked after. I expect God to make sure I have an enjoyable life and no troubles. Is that to much to ask from an all loving, all powerful God?
I have heard people preach that as a Christian i should have a fruitful life, full of wealth, prosperity, great health, and success in all things. So why don’t i see God doing this for me?
Welcome to the world of the Lamentations, yet slightly removed. Judah (southern kingdom) is in desolation. They have had their kingdom pulverized and their capital (Jerusalem) destroyed. All of their once glorious kingdom is now unrecognizable. It has disappeared with their obedience to God. This is further highlighted with the curruption of God’s temple, the enemies who ransacked the kingdom have entered the temple, which makes the temple unclean and also destroys Judah’s place of meeting God. This is far from the glorious kingdom of David and Solomon.
To make matters worse this is the work of God. God is judging Judah because of their disobedience (1:5). Which leads me back to the quote above.
Can Israel complain about God when they face trouble & evil in this world?
“The LORD is in the right, for I have rebelled against his word” (1:18)
Israel rebelled against God through disobedience, and God being just and fair has judged that disobedience. God is right to do this. His word is a guide and rule. It is good, just and fair. God’s word is God’s advice to us, showing us how we can enjoy this life in God’s world. By obeying his word we can enjoy a good life, but if we disobey we deserve the consequences of our disobedience.
Suprise!!
Surprisingly the writer of this Lament understands the consequences of the nations disobedience and doesnt condemn God but praises God for his right and just judgment. Interesting perspective.
It isn’t God’s fault that Judah disobeyed his word. Nor is it God’s fault that they didn’t listen to his warnings to stop being disobedient. The fault falls on Judah.
It is the same for us.
We should not think that God is at fault when we experience trouble and evil. This is the consequence of our disobedience to God’s word. Our disobedience has consequences and it is not God’s fault, but our own. Often our disobedience leads to the hurt of ourselves or others. For example; If I were to commit adultery I would be hurting my marriage with Aimee, I would destroy the relationship with the third person, and it would effect my relationships with my friends and family.
Our disobedience has consequences.
Can we complain about God when we face trouble and evil in this world?
Well no. We should welcome God’s judgment because it is just and right. What we should complain about is our constant and never ending disobedience of God’s word.
God is good, right and just.
We are evil, disobedient and selfish.
Then who is to blame?
Hi Dan
Recently I’ve been complaining to God because I see my godless friends prospering all around me while I languish in despair. True, there are times that I’ve disobeyed God and I’ve faced the consequences but I also look back and I see times that I was an obedient and prayerful child but still opportunities closed in front of me and opened up for my godless friends and I wonder, why did God allow this to happen? Am I not in His mind? I don’t want to end up whining like Israel in the desert but of late I can help it, I just keep on asking why why why like the Psalmist in Ps 73. I just pray that God gives me a revelation as he gave to him.
By: Peter on January 6, 2011
at 4:33 am
Hi Peter,
Sorry it has taken a while for me to reply. Thankyou for being open and honest. These are great questions to ask. The great thing about God is that he loves to hear our prayers, concerns, thoughts, worries, joys, etc.
In Philippians Paul encourages the church in Philippi to pray about all things.
(Philippians 4:6) “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
Sometimes we dont always get the response we want from God, but this doesnt mean he does not care. God does care, he cares most of all for our salvation. Peter calls this context into our prayer lives.
(1 Peter 5:6–7) “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
He shows that humility before God is essential because when we position ourselves under God’s care we are trusting wholly and completely on God for all things. This is the complete trust Jesus requests for his followers and it is when we trust in the sovereign, good God that we see that he has provided us the salvation and exaltation that we await.
Importantly in this phrase is a future expectation. God at the proper time may exalt us. We await the fullness of blessings we have in Christ. So we may see others prosper but as Christians we await our exaltation and prospering and full blessing when we are with Jesus in the New creation. So dont stop praying but keep humbling yourself under God and trusting in him.
We also see that Jesus has some things to teach us also.
(Matthew 7:7–11) ““Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”
God gives us what we need, what is good for us. He is a perfect Father. giving good things to His children. Now what is important to note here is that God will not just give us what we ask! God has in mind what is good for us. To use an illustration from our lives, if we were to ask our parents for lollies every meal we would expect that our parents would say no. Because eating lollies is not in our best interest, but eating healthy is. So some times we need to realise that in our prayers we may not be asking for what is good for us. This is hard to give advice for you from, because i dont know you. But my advice would be to get involved with a good strong bible teaching church where you can ask for advice on what the bible says. Read your bible so you can see what God says is best for us. Pray about these things. I am sure with these you will see God answering alot of your prayers.
By: Dan Presland on January 18, 2011
at 9:19 pm