discouragement

Arguing with God

Job’s suffering made him want to argue with God. Job told his friends, “Oh that my vexation were weighed, and all my calamity laid in the balances! For then, it would be heavier than the sand of the sea; therefore my words have been rash, For the arrows of the Almighty are in me; my spirit drinks their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me” (Job 6:2-6). Job continued, saying, “Therefore, I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul” (Job 7:11). Job described his inner struggle as the anguish of my spirit and the bitterness of my soul. Man is viewed as consisting of two parts (or substances), material and immaterial, with the body being the material and spirit and soul denoting the immaterial. “Animals are not said to possess a spirit; this is only in man, giving him the ability to communicate with God” (G5590).

Job’s friend Zophar believed that Job was suffering because he had committed some horrible secret sin for which he was being punished (note on Job 11:1). Job denied that he had done anything wrong, indicating “that the hand of the LORD has done this” (Job 12:9), and then, Job stated, “Look, I have seen all this with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears, and now I understand. I know as much as you do. You are no better than I am. As for me, I would speak directly to the Almighty. I want to argue my case with God himself” (Job 13:1-3, NLT). “Job was deeply discouraged. He felt like God was against him (Job 13:21), was intentionally silent (Job 13:22), had turned away from him (Job 13:24), and was dredging up past sins (Job 13:26). Further contributing to his discouragement, Job’s friends became misguiding voices (Job 42:7). Attempting to defend God they actually misrepresented him, speaking lies (Job 13:4), using faulty arguments (Job 13:7-8), and talking in clichés (Job 13:12). They should have kept quiet (Job 13:15; cf. 2:13) and simply listened. Job felt as worthless as rotting wood or a moth-eaten coat (Job 13:28). Job didn’t realize God was aware of his suffering (Job 40:2), yet he stayed hopeful (Job 13:15). [1]

God wants us to be honest with him. “It takes faith to pray when you are in pain. Belief in God creates challenging questions, and lament provides the opportunity to reorient your hurting heart toward what is true.” [2] Many of the psalms that David wrote were laments. David poured out his heart to God with desperate candor, giving believers an example of what it looks like for us to truly lament. David began with a confession of his faith, stating, “To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul. O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous” (Psalm 25:1-3). David’s argument for God being gracious to him was that he took refuge in the LORD. David said:

Turn to me and be gracious to me,
    for I am lonely and afflicted.
The troubles of my heart are enlarged;
    bring me out of my distresses.
Consider my affliction and my trouble,
    and forgive all my sins.

Consider how many are my foes,
    and with what violent hatred they hate me.
Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me!
    Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
    for I wait for you. (Psalm 25:16-21)

David asked the LORD to forgive all his sins. The Hebrew word that is translated forgive, nasa (naw-sawˊ) means “to lift…especially in reference to the bearing of guilt or punishment of sin (Genesis 4:13; Leviticus 5:1). This flows easily then into the concept of the representative or substitutionary bearing of one person’s guilt by another (Leviticus 10:17; 16:22). David understood that he needed a redeemer, someone who could pay the penalty for his sin on his behalf. David lamented, “Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O LORD…For your name’s sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great” (Psalm 25:6-7, 11).

The concept of the substitutionary bearing of one person’s guilt by another was established in the Passover when the LORD passed over the houses of the Israelites that had the blood of a lamb on the lintel and two door posts during their Exodus from Egypt (Exodus 12:21-23). When John the Baptist saw Jesus for the first time, he announced to the people around him, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Jesus acknowledged his role as the redeemer of Israel when he told his disciples, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:26-28). The Greek word that is translated ransom, Lutron (looˊ-tron) means “something to loosen with, i.e. a redemption price (figurative, atonement)” (G3083).

John explained in his first letter that we must confess our sins in order to be forgiven by God. John said, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:8-10). John went on to explain Jesus’ role as our advocate. It says in 1 John 2:1-2, “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” A propitiator is one who appeases anger and brings reconciliation with someone who has reason to be angry with us (G2434). Jesus did this when he paid the penalty for our sin by shedding his blood on the cross.

The Greek word that is translated advocate in 1 John 2:1, parakletos (par-akˊ-lay-tos) means “an intercessor…one who pleads the cause of anyone before a judge” (G3875). Jesus used the word parakletos when he told his disciples shortly before his death, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever” (John 14:16). In the same way that Jesus is our advocate with the Father, the Holy Spirit helps us by interceding on our behalf through prayer. Jesus identified the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of truth, and said the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. And then, Jesus said, “You know him for he dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:17).

Job wanted to speak directly to the Almighty. Job said, “I want to argue my case with God himself” (Job 13:1-3, NLT). Job later stated, “God might kill me, but I have no other hope. I am going to argue my case with him” (Job 13:15, NLT). Job’s suffering brought him to the point where he was willing to risk his own life in order to be justified before God. It says in Hebrews 4:16 that we should, “With confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need,” because “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus’ sinless perfection wouldn’t mean much if he were only God, but Jesus Christ came to earth and lived as a human so that his death on the cross would fulfill our need for a human sacrifice, someone like us with a human nature, who was able to live his life according to God’s standard, complete submission and perfect obedience to God’s Word (Matthew 5:48).

Job’s internal conflict reached its highest point after his friend Eliphaz accused him of not having a relationship with God (Job 15:4) and Bildad implied he was going to hell (Job 18:14-21). Job pleaded, “Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me!” (Job 19:21). Job had “yet to realize that sorrow and trials in the lives of believers come from the hands of a loving God” (note on Job 19:8-22). Job finally cried out in desperation:

“Oh that my words were written!
    Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
Oh that with an iron pen and lead
    they were engraved in the rock forever!
For I know that my Redeemer lives,
    and at the last he will stand upon the earth. (Job 19:23-25)

Job had been arguing with God and his friends because he believed he had a redeemer, but up until this point, Job wasn’t aware that his Redeemer was God (note on Job 19:25-27). The Hebrew word that is translated Redeemer, ga’al (gaw-alˊ) means “to be next of kin” or “to act as a redeemer for a deceased kinsman…this word is used to convey God’s redemption of individuals from spiritual death” (H1350). Jesus’ ability to act in the role of the kinsman redeemer was based on his relationship to King David (Matthew 1:1-17) to whom God promised, “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Samuel 7:12-13).

When the LORD answered Job (Job 38-41), he pointed out that “no man has any authority to judge God” (note on Job 40:8). God asked Job, “Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers?” (Job 40:2, NLT).  Job responded, “I am nothing—how could I ever find the answers? I will cover my mouth with my hand. I have said too much already. I have nothing more to say” (Job 40:4-5, NLT).

[1] The Spiritual Growth Bible, Dealing with Discouragement, p. 495.

[2] Mark Vroegop, Dark Clouds Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament, p. 38.

King Herod

Herod the tetrarch had jurisdiction over the territory of Galilee during the time of Jesus’ ministry. Sometime not long after Jesus’ ministry was launched, Luke tells us that Herod shut up John the Baptist in prison because he had reproved him for marrying his brother Philip’s wife (Luke 3:19-20). King Herod knew John was a righteous man and because he was thought to be a prophet by most of the people, Herod didn’t kill John, but kept him in prison and listened to him preach with pleasure (Mark 6:20). That is, until his birthday, when Herod was enticed into beheading John in order to satisfy the wish of his step-daughter, who had danced for Herod and all his officials at a birthday supper (Mark 6:21).

Herod’s lack of moral conviction was revealed by his decision to grant his step-daughter’s request rather than be embarrassed in front of his dinner guests. Herod’s demonstration of his low regard for John’s life also showed that his teaching had not penetrated Herod’s hardened heart. Mark’s description of the situation suggested that Herod’ was glad when his step-daughter asked him to kill John because that meant he wouldn’t have to take the blame for his death. Mark said it was “a convenient day,” meaning it was well timed that is opportune (2121) for Herod to do what his step-daughter asked him to.

It’s possible that Herod staged the whole birthday incident, just so that he could get rid of John without any reprisal from the people that recognized him as a prophet. Matthew’s account of John’s death says that when Herod asked his step-daughter what she wanted for her service to him and his guests, “she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger” (Matthew 14:8). More than likely, it was not Herod’s opportunity, but that of his wife, Herodias that was taken advantage of that night. After Herod was asked for John’s head on a platter, Matthew said, “And the king was very sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be giver her” (Matthew 14:9).

The tragic death of John the Baptist was a major setback for Jesus’ ministry in that it hurt him and his disciples deeply and discouraged them from preaching the gospel in public. Matthew stated, “When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart” (Matthew 14:13). The Greek word translated apart, idios (id’-ee-os) suggests that Jesus was looking for some privacy so he could mourn the loss of his cousin John. In spite of his effort to get away for awhile, the people followed Jesus and his disciples on foot and met them when they landed on the opposite shore (Matthew 14:13-14). Later, when Herod heard of Jesus’ fame, he said, “This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him” (Matthew 14:1-2).

Transition

John the Baptist played an important role in the transition that took place during Jesus’ three-year ministry on earth. John marked the end of the old economy in which sacrifices for sins had to be made on an ongoing basis. John’s statement, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29) indicated that Jesus would radically change the way God’s people worshipped him. At the end of his life, after he had been imprisoned for his message of repentance, John began to have doubts and became deeply discouraged. Because of his confusion about the situation, John sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus, “Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” (Matthew11:3). Jesus told John’s disciples to remind him of all the things that were happening. He said, “The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them” (Matthew 11:5).

Jesus’ controversial message brought fear and doubt to many people because they didn’t understand God’s plan of salvation. The transition from works of righteousness through sacrifice to God’s free gift of redemption was a hard one, mostly because it meant that anyone could enter into God’s kingdom, if he was willing to admit he was a sinner and couldn’t save himself. The hyper-critical Pharisees in particular, thought they were keeping the law and were perfect in God’s sight. Jesus exposed these men’s judgmental attitudes and cautioned his followers. Jesus taught in his Sermon on the Mount, “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). The problem was that no one believed it was possible to be more righteous than a Pharisee. The Greek words Jesus used for exceed, perisseuo (per-is-syoo´-o) pleion (pli´-own) mean to superabound, to be greater than or in excess of what is required (4052/4119).

During the transition from the Old Covenant, the Mosaic Law, to the New Covenant, salvation by grace, Jesus emphasized the importance of the Jews attitude toward what they thought was sinful behavior. He stated, “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children” (Matthew 11:18-19). The point Jesus was trying to make was that the people were not content with their new situation. They wanted everything to be as they liked, comfortable and easy to handle. In essence, they thought Jesus and John the Baptist were too radical. The Jews were looking for a nice, middle of the road viewpoint to follow. The statement, “But wisdom is justified of her children” (Matthew 11:19) was meant as a criticism of the Jews lack of awareness of the extreme sacrifice Jesus was making by taking upon himself the responsibility for saving the world.

Troublemakers

Reconstruction of the temple in Jerusalem was not a quick or easy task. The original temple that was built by king Solomon took seven years to construct (1 Kings 7:38). Ezra recorded that construction of the second temple was started in 536 B.C., but not completed until 516 B.C. (Ezra 6:15). The primary reason for the delay was the harassment the builders received from troublemakers living in the area surrounding Jerusalem. Ezra stated, “Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, and hired counsellers against them to frustrate the purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia” (Ezra 4:4-5). The phrases “weakened the hands of the people” and “troubled them in building” may also be translated as discouraged them and made them afraid to build (ESV). The idea being that the people were unproductive because of the harassment they received.

At the very least, the builders of the temple were distracted by the troublemakers that wanted to join with them in their effort (Ezra 4:2). One of the tactics used against the temple builders was what we might refer to today as tattle telling. A report was sent to king Darius, the successor to Cyrus king of Persia, indicating that the people that had returned to Jerusalem from captivity in Babylon were trying to rebuild their temple. They said, “Be it known to the king that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands…and yet it is not finished” (Ezra 5:8,16). The troublemakers went on to say that they were told by the leaders in Jerusalem that Cyrus had made a decree to build the house of God and they wanted the records to be searched to find out if that was actually true (Ezra 5:13,17). Fortunately, king Darius ordered a search of the records and Cyrus’ decree was found (Ezra 6:3).

In spite of the corroboration of their story, the leaders of Jerusalem continued to face opposition for another fifty plus years. After king Darius was replaced by king Ahasurerus in 486 B.C., another letter was sent with an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem (Ezra 4:7). Then, sometime during the reign of king Artaxerxes (465 B.C. – 424 B.C), a final attempt was made to stop the work in Jerusalem. The letter to Artaxerxes went to greater lengths by suggesting that a plot to overthrow his kingdom was in progress (Ezra 4:11-16). As a result of their intervention, Artaxeres I ordered that the Jews stop rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1:3) until around 445 B.C. when Nehemiah came to Jerusalem and successful rebuilt the walls in fifty two days.

It’s not fair

Jeremiah’s job as a prophet to the nation of Judah caused him to be a target of abuse and slander. It says in Jeremiah 20:1-2, “Pashur the son of Immer the priest, who was also chief governor in the house of the LORD, heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things. Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD.”

Pashur had heard Jeremiah say that God was going to punish the people of Judah because they would not repent. Pashur’s actions gave the people the impression that Jeremiah was lying and was not a true prophet of God. Jeremiah was severely beaten and placed in a torturous device that would have caused him severe pain and discomfort. Pashur’s intention was to scare Jeremiah into silence. Instead, Jeremiah proclaimed:

And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity: and thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied lies.

Jeremiah’s bold proclamation was not given as a result of his own strength, but because he feared God more than he feared Pashur. Jeremiah complained to the LORD about the unfair treatment he received. He said, “I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me” (Jeremiah 20:7). Jeremiah had become a laughing-stock and was mocked for speaking the truth. He was so upset by what was happening, that he wanted to give up his calling (Jeremiah 20:9).

In a moment of complete despair, Jeremiah revealed his feelings of depression and thought of suicide. He openly declared, “Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed, cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, a man child is born unto thee; making him very glad…because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave…wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labor and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?” (Jeremiah 20:14-18).

Jeremiah’s death wish was in part a testimony to the hopelessness of the situation in Judah. Even though Jeremiah would have rather been able to encourage the people of Judah with a message of God’s mercy, he knew their destruction was imminent and all he could do was try to warn them. Showing us that he felt like a man stuck between a rock and a hard place, Jeremiah declared of the LORD, “Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forebearing, and I could not stay”

A still small voice

Jezebel’s reaction to the slaughter of the prophets of Baal showed she had a personal vendetta against Elijah. After Ahab told her that Elijah “had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, If I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time” (1 Kings 19:1-2).

It is possible that just as Elijah was God’s representative to the nation of Israel, Jezebel was Satan’s direct representative to God’s people. Her presence in Israel was an insult to God because she openly recruited Baal worshippers and encouraged disobedience to God. The name Ba’al means master or to be master, but the primary meaning of this Hebrew word is “possessor” (1167). I think it is likely that Jezebel was demon possessed and may even have been indwelt or possessed by the spirit of antichrist.

Regardless of Jezebel’s spiritual state, her death threat struck fear into Elijah’s heart. It says in 1 Kings 19:3 that when Elijah understood what Jezebel intended to do, “he arose, and went for his life.” Most likely Elijah was given a mental picture of the tortuous death Jezebel would inflict on him and he decided to get out of town as soon as possible. It says in 1 Kings 19:4 that he “went a days journey into the wilderness” to ensure no one could find him.

Elijah’s fear drove him straight into the hands of God. His journey into the wilderness ended at Horeb the mount of God where Elijah lodged in a cave waiting for instructions from the LORD. When the LORD finally came to him, he asked, “What doest thou here, Elijah?” (1 Kings 19:9). The question implied that Elijah had abandoned his post, running from Jezebel was obviously not a part of God’s  plan for his representative.

In order to strengthen Elijah’s resolve, God paid him a personal visit:

And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake;  but the LORD was not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? (1 Kings 19:11-13)

When Elijah heard the voice of God, he should have realized that the LORD was everywhere and he knew everything, so he didn’t need an explanation from Elijah as to what was going on. The question was meant to provoke a confession. The LORD wanted Elijah to admit that he was afraid and had run away because he didn’t believe the LORD could protect him from Jezebel.

Elijah’s doubt is understandable. If you can imagine yourself having to go toe to toe with Satan, you can appreciate how Elijah must have felt about having a run in with Jezebel. The mighty prophet of God was only human and his fear a natural reaction to satanic forces directed at him because he took a stand for God. Elijah thought he was alone, but a still small voice reminded him that God had sovereign power over the people and nations and could destroy them in an instant if he chose to (1 Kings 19:17).

What’s the use?

A sign that you have hit the bottom is that you start feeling sorry for yourself. The difference between a believer and non-believer is when a non-believer hits the bottom, he gives up. When a believer hits the bottom, he looks up. David said, “So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee” (Psalm 73:22) when he realized that he had been feeling sorry for himself.

It is not unusual to feel sorry for yourself when everything seems to be going against you. David said in his discouragement, “Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning” (Psalm 73:13-14).

David had seen the wicked prospering and evil men literally getting away with murder. It did not seem fair that David was constantly in trouble and plagued with adversity. David said, “When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end” (Psalm 73:16-17).

What David understood was that the wicked were separated from God. They could only do evil because they had not godly influence in their lives and their only opposition was a conscience that had been numbed to the existence of God. Even though their lives seemed easy, David knew that they were suffering from their sinful behavior and would one day be judged for the wrongs they had committed.

The reason why believers do not give up when they hit the bottom is because God is there waiting for them to look up. When David realized it was foolish for him to feel sorry for himself, he began to focus on the future and what he had to look forward to rather than his present circumstances. What gave him hope was that he would never be alone and would eventually triumph over his greatest enemy, death.

Nevertheless I am continually with thee: Thou has holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. (Psalm 73: 23-24)