God’s use of calamity and disaster is the deeper mystery. He takes what looks like the worst thing that can happen and uses it for His purposes. How can this be?
For instance, Zechariah 13:7 refers to the coming Messiah, the Good Shepherd who would come to save His people. The Jews expected a strong leader who would deliver them from oppression and all their enemies, but their expectations were crushed in this prophecy, even before Jesus came:
“Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the Man who is My Companion,” says the Lord of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; then I will turn My hand against the little ones.”This verse says that God’s Shepherd is literally, “the man of my union.” The Hebrew word used here is “a mighty man,” one peculiarly man in his noblest ideal. It could also be translated “My fellow,” “My associate,” “My equal” or “My nearest kinsman.”
This is the One that God calls the sword to strike. He was His equal, His own Son. What could be more mysterious? And then, when the Messiah was killed, those who followed Him would be scattered too. God would even “turn His hand” against them too. How could any of this be good news?
My study Bible says “against” could be “upon” and therefore refer to His protection, which fits better with the verses to follow for they tell how God will save a remnant of those who believe. Yet even then, He says they will be brought “through fire” and be refined as silver is refined and as gold is tested. In other words, not only will the Good Shepherd suffer and die for His sheep under the plan of God, but we who are His sheep will also suffer as part of His plan and His mysterious ways.
The only way that this mysterious plan of God makes sense to me is when I remember the seriousness of sin and the reality of its power in my life. Sin permeates everything. My most noble deeds can easily turn into acts of self-centered glory. When I am deeply and truly worshiping God, the thought ‘do people notice my love for Him’ can pop into my head. Sin is an insidious, seductive and stealthy enemy that creeps into my life even as I focus on the only One who can save me from it.
God knows that defeating such a terrible enemy requires terrible measures. His pure and sinless Son would take sin’s penalty, an act of mercy from a Judge who rightly could strike us all with a sword for our sinful rebellion and resistance toward Him.
Did the disciples scatter for fear they would be next? They loved Jesus, but their desire to protect themselves came first. That “I will take care of me” attitude must become “God will take care of me” and it did, but only after God took them through the refining fire of His mysterious ways.
He taught them, as He teaches me, that unexpected goodness and mercy AND unexpected difficulties and tragedy are both in His plan for my life. He uses both to defeat and destroy my great enemy, that selfish, me-first attitude that is at the root of godlessness.
This is a great mystery, not just that He uses tragedy or tough things to deal with my sin, but that He persists! Jesus died for me yet I still sin against Him so easily. However, God persists in this mystery of using all things, even tough times, to change and purify my life.
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