Duh, what happened?

 

2 Chronicles 19–20; Zechariah 4; John 7; Revelation 8

Someone once said there are three kinds of people: Those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who say, “What happened?”

I’d like to be in the first batch, or at least have a sound knowledge of events like the second group, but the third group sadly seems to be increasing in numbers.

This is not new. King Jehoshaphat reigned 25 years in Judah at the time God’s people were divided into two kingdoms (873–849 BC). This man did good things but also alternated with colossal blunders. He went to the Lord for advice and succeeded but then ignored the Lord and failed — all through his life. He did not learn from his mistakes. Was he like many today who fail to look back and connect cause and effect?

It happened during the time of Christ too. In John 7, the first thing I notice is that Jesus does not make what He is doing known to the world and sometimes not even to His disciples or his family. In other words, I cannot always know ‘what happened’ or why.

After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand. So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” For not even his brothers believed in him. Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.” After saying this, he remained in Galilee. But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private. (John 7:1–10)

A few verses later, Jesus was criticized by the Jews for “teaching when he had never studied” and Jesus told them how He knew truth from God and how we also can be in that group that accurately know what is going on.

“My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.” (John 7:16–18)

The key to knowing when God is speaking is obedience. Do what I do know is from Him and He will tell me more. This pattern can be thwarted only by seeking my own glory instead of God’s glory.

Jesus also says that they didn’t ‘get it’ because they were judging by appearances rather than by right judgment, by what they observed rather than by the Spirit of God. I can know what God is up to by listening to Him rather than insisting on ‘what looks good to me.’

The Pharisees heard Jesus say that He was “going to him who sent me. You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am going you cannot come.” Again, that threw them plunk into the third category — totally clueless about what He meant, but they were not alone. The people were divided over Him, partly because they didn’t get the facts right. They argued about where He was born and where the Messiah was supposed to be born, not realizing the answers were in their Scriptures. How many of us are like this? Instead of searching out facts, many tend to believe speculations.

Jesus stumped them again when He said: “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” (John 7:38) They didn’t know what was happening because the Holy Spirit had not opened their minds to the meaning of those OT Scriptures.

This blindness to what is going on shows up again as theologians try to interpret Revelation’s descriptions of future events, such as angels blowing trumpets and destruction that follows. My hope is that anyone experiencing these things will be alert and at least know one thing about this description: God is calling people  to repentance and to receive His offer of eternal life through faith in His Son.

APPLY: It would be wonderful to be a person that can make things happen yet I must leave that in God’s hands. Being aware depends on what He reveals but also on my obedience and desire for His glory. I certainly don’t want to be so wrapped up in doing my own thing and making my own assumptions that I am clueless about what is going on. I need to keep asking questions, such as: Is this pandemic just a glimpse of what God’s wrath will be like as described in Revelation 8? And I must trust the Lord to give me whatever answers I need to know.

 

Cooperating with the Plan

 

1 Kings 10; Psalm 91; Ezekiel 40; Philippians 1

Again today, God’s providence reinforced my “focus for the day” calendar thoughts by using today’s passages from my devotional guide. Those focus thoughts are: “REVERENCE vs. Disrespect, particularly in being aware that God is working through the people and events in my life to produce the character of Christ in me” followed by this verse that King Solomon penned thousands of years ago:

Let not your heart envy sinners but continue in the fear of the LORD all the day. Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off. (Proverbs 23:17–18)

This is a glimpse of Jesus who had no reason to envy anyone and who trusted His Father for everything, including His future — even as He was taken to be crucified. I’m to trust Him to give me that same confidence.

However, there are many more verses that tell me what the Lord is like. He wants me to cooperate with Him in this transformation process. From the biblical story of Solomon’s reign God reminds me where all blessings come from. The queen of Sheba realized it. She saw the wonder of Solomon’s wisdom and wealth and said,

“Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord loved Israel forever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness.” (1 Kings 10:9)

Solomon agreed, but had a problem that comes out in the next chapter. He forgot that all he needed came from the Lord and went after “many foreign women” who led him into idolatry. This warns me to never disrespect the Lord by envying sinners or wanting anything forbidden by God for myself. Such attitudes are a slippery slope and not at all like the character of Christ.

The psalmist says the same thing in a different way. He starts out with affirming that God is his refuge and lists dangers from which the Lord will protect him . . .

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked. Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge— no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot. (Psalm 91:1–13)

Some will mock this as wishful thinking or say it is about the Messiah and not for everyone. Whatever the practical application, this passage tells me that God CAN do it. I can trust Him to use the situations He puts me in as part of His design to produce Christlike character in me, even the tough situations.

This is verified by the Apostle Paul who writes from prison saying to Christians:

Let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have. (Philippians 1:27–30)

Paul was joyful even in prison for his faith. He was certain that God had begun a good work in His people and would finish it (verse 6). The Gospel was being preached and even though he was eager to be with Jesus, he was glad to remain for their sake. He was totally convinced that God had begun a good work in them and would finish what He started.

APPLY: All this goes back to today’s focus thoughts. Stick to trusting God. He will do His will in me and in His people. Keep praying for them and for His glory. Worship Him with all my heart!