Affliction and A Hidden God

It is probably in times of deep affliction, when our souls are overwhelmed in us by the agonizing difficulties of our way, that the problem of a hidden God is greatest.

Our afflictions need not necessarily be caused by some specific sin in our lives. We have the example of Job to testify of this. 

Nevertheless, there are times when we ask the Lord for something that we are specifically commanded to ask for-- perhaps grace to endure some great trial. But even though we ask according to the will of God, we are still confronted with a hidden God, for no answer comes, even then.

I would venture a guess that, at some time in his or her life, every child of God experiences the same thing as Job. In fact, I am sure that this is why God put this beautiful and important book in the Bible. We all need it.

As was true with Job, sometimes God hides Himself even when there is no chastisement for sin. In a way, even then sin surely is involved. We are by no means perfect in this life, and always chastisement is for the purpose of correction. But God may hide Himself simply to teach us an important truth concerning us or Him, a truth which we have to learn and know. 

God's answer to Job was surprising and very disconcerting. It came, first, through Elihu, who seemed to be the only one with a correct understanding of things; but finally God Himself spoke of Job in that powerful and soul-shaking speech found in chapters 38-41.

In sum, these chapters make just one point, a point which was God's answer to Job. God had hidden Himself from Job. Yes, He did. But then He revealed Himself, and this is what He said.

"Job," God said, "you must learn that I am God. I am the one only God, the creator of all, great, glorious, perfect, beyond understanding in all My works and ways. 

"Now, Job, because this is true, you must also learn that I am under no obligation whatsoever to explain anything I do. I am not under obligation to you to explain what I do to you. I am not to be summoned, as you would like, into the dock to give an account to you of My actions and to justify My deeds. Who, really, do you think you are? Can you require of Me that I explain to you what I do? And even when I do what I have done to you, I have no need whatsoever to justify my actions to you.

"Were you present when I created all things? Were you there when I conceived my own perfect counsel? Should I have consulted with you before I determined to do what I decided had to be done for the perfect glory of My name?

"Job, the simple fact of the matter is that, as far as you are concerned, there is no answer. Nor will I give one. Nor need I give one. I am God!" 

Paradoxically, this is precisely God's purpose in hiding Himself: that we may learn this great truth. To use Calvin's expression, God batters us. We may perhaps rebel. So He batters us some more. We may, with great difficulty, submit but plead to know the reason. He batters us some more. We may cry out that we can take no more of this awful battering. He batters some more. We still have not learned.

And so, finally, at the bottom of the pit of our pain, God shows us that He is God and does what He pleases-- also with us. And so, finally, we say, Lord, whatever is Thy will, do with me as it seems good to Thee. Whatever happens to me is of no account. Do Thou Thy will. I want nothing more." Or as Job put it, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him" (13:15).

Then the God who is hidden speaks of His love in tenderest of terms and with infinite mercy towards us. He shows us that He never really was hidden, for He continued to hide all our tears in His bottle, but He assures us that it was necessary that He withdraw Himself from us so that we might come to appreciate more fully the wonders of His grace. He humbles us, but only to lift us up. He brings us very low, because only by our going through a deep valley can He bring us to the mountaintop. To forsake us is to draw us nearer to Himself.

Prof. Herman Hanko

When You Pray, pp. 148-149

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Trial or Temptation?

 

Fact is that temptation and trial are closely related concepts. They are materially the same, but they differ with respect to their aim and motive. It is, perhaps, safe to say that for the people of God all temptation is also a trial, and all trial is at the same time temptation. Yet there is a good deal of difference between the two. First of all, we may note that one cannot speak of trial with respect to the wicked: for trial presupposes something good that is put to the test and that is improved by the testing process. Gold and silver are tried in order to purify them, to separate the foreign elements in them, and to enhance the beauty of their lustre. But one does not test a lump of clay or a piece of stone. So God's people are tried in as far as they are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, in order that the power and beauty of the work of God's grace may become manifest, and the trial of their faith may be to "praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." (1 Pet. 1:7) But the wicked cannot be tried, for the simple reason that there is no good in them. They are tempted: for while trial aims at the bringing to light of the beauty of the work of God's grace, temptation appeals to the sinful nature. However, it will be evident that the very same means whereby the people of God are tried also constitute for them temptations. What is a trial of their faith is at the same time a temptation for their sinful nature. When, for instance, a believer is threatened with the loss of a profitable position in the world unless he in some way becomes unfaithful and denies the his Lord, his faith is being tried. But the same situation is an appeal to his sinful nature to deny Christ and keep his position. It certainly was a fiery trial of their faith when in the early believers were sometimes confronted with the choice of confessing that Caesar was Lord or being thrown into a pot filled with boiling oil. But again, this horrible alternative also was a temptation for their flesh to bow the knee to Caesar and to deny the sole Lordship of Christ.

But there is more difference between trial and temptation. Trial always presents the truth; temptation is always a lie. Temptation always presents the way of sin and iniquity, of backsliding and unfaithfulness, of denying Christ and violating the covenant of God as something desirable, as a good that is worth striving for, in fact, as preferable to the way of obedience, righteousness, holiness, and faithfulness to Christ. When God places the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in Paradise and gives man the so-called probationary command, He proves, He tries Adam. But He tells him the truth: "the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." Thus it always is. It is never good, a thing to be desired, to walk in the way of iniquity, to pursue after evil, to violate the Word of God and serve Mammon. But when the devil tempts man in paradise, he presents the lie to him: "Ye shall not surely die; ye shall be like God." And thus all temptation makes use of the lie that there is a good apart from God, in the way of sin. Temptation is moral, ethical deception. Trial deals with the truth.

Moreover, there is a fundamental difference in motive and purpose between trial and temptation. Hatred of God, hatred of one another, hatred of that which is good and delight in sin and corruption-- these are the motives of all temptation. The purpose of the tempter is always God's dishonor and your destruction. It makes no difference who it is that assumes the role of tempter in regard to you. It may be your husband or wife, your brother of sister, your dearest friend; in the capacity of tempter he hates God and you and seeks your destruction. When your best friend tempts you to depart from the way of truth and righteousness and to follow after the lie and vanity, he is your enemy; and you should not hesitate to say to him, "Get thee behind me, Satan!" But trial is motivated by love, aims at the showing forth of the beauty of God's work of grace, and purpose your salvation. Temptation, then, is that lying appeal to our sinful nature that is motivated by enmity against God, His cause and His people, and aims at God's dishonor and our destruction.

Herman Hoeksema

In the Sanctuary, pp. 90-92

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