The AFFLICTIONS of the RIGHTEOUS How Life s WORST Can Work God s BEST

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1 The AFFLICTIONS of the RIGHTEOUS How Life s WORST Can Work God s BEST While there are afflictions that come upon the wicked (i.e., the guilty) because of their iniquities, there are also afflictions that come upon the righteous (i.e., the innocent.) Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. (Psalm 34:19) The prophets and Job are the clearest examples in the Old Testament of the righteous suffering affliction. Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. (James 5:10,11) Jesus is our chief example that the righteous can be afflicted. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. (Isaiah 53:7) 1. The PURPOSE of AFFLICTION God uses affliction to OPEN the EARS of men. Through affliction, the Lord opens the ears of the wicked to correction and calls them to repentance. He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity. (Job 36:10) Through affliction, the Lord opens the ear of righteous to instruction and perfection in character. He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression. (Job 36:15) Affliction brings the wicked to their knees to acknowledge their offence. I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early. (Hosea 5:15)

2 Affliction brings the righteous to their knees to seek God s strength and deliverance. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared (Hebrews 5:7) The Father used the afflictions that Jesus suffered to open His ears to instruction. The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. (Isaiah 50:5,6) By obeying what He heard, Christ demonstrated the perfect character that reflected His Father. Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him (Hebrews 5:8,9) 2. The PAIN of AFFLICTION In suffering affliction, one s soul experiences pain. Look upon mine affliction and my pain (Psalm 25:18) Because He was afflicted, Jesus suffered in the flesh. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. (Hebrews 2:18) It is natural to cry out in a state of pain. The righteous cry out to God when they are afflicted. «A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD.» Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee. (Psalm 102:1) The pain of affliction is both in the addition of evil (i.e., my bones are burned ) and the subtraction of good (i.e., my days are consumed. ) For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth. (Psalm 102:3) In affliction, our heart takes a beating. My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread. By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin. (Psalm 102:4,5)

3 smitten > Hebrew nakah > to receive a blow, to be wounded, to be beaten 3. The POVERTY of AFFLICTION The Hebrew word afflicted (aniy) is translated afflicted 15 times and poor 58 times. Affliction pours out or empties our soul. And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me. (Job 30:16) The affliction of the righteous includes the loss of human companionship (i.e., desolation) and the loss of natural beauty (i.e., wrinkles) and strength (i.e., leanness). But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company. And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face. (Job 16:7,8) Our soul is impoverished when others fail to give us the love we desire or the respect we deserve. I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert. I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top. Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me. For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping (Psalm 102:6 9) Job not only endured financial poverty, but a poverty of the soul. When the days of his affliction ended, both of these were restored. And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold. So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. He had also seven sons and three daughters. (Job 42:10 13) While God uses affliction to show the wicked their sin, He uses affliction to show the righteous the limits of men (themselves and others.) He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days. (Psalm 102:23)

4 God uses affliction to keep us from pride (i.e., making an idol out of ourself.) And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. (2 Corinthians 12:7) Afflictions humble us and keep us poor in spirit and weak in ourselves. Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3) God uses affliction to wean us from man and keep our eye trained on what He alone can perfectly give us. At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me (2 Timothy 4:16,17) Ye are all physicians of no value. (Job 13:4) Miserable comforters are ye all. (Job 16:2) God uses affliction to break our dependency on all flesh (ourselves and others) and create a greater dependency (i.e., trust) on Him. Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. (Jeremiah 17:5 8) Because of his continued dependency on God during the day of his affliction, Job had confidence he would come forth as gold. But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined. Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. (Job 23:10 12) Likewise, if we stay stedfast in the afflictions God allows us to face in this world at the hands of Satan and evil men, we also will also come forth with the golden character of Christ.

5 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. (1 Peter 5:8 10) 4. The PRAYER of the AFFLICTED It is natural to pray for a speedy OUT when we are IN a day of trouble. «A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD.» Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee. Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily. (Psalm 102:1,2) Our eye can become faint as we cry day and night for some time of affliction to end. O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee. (Psalm 88:1,9) mourn > Hebrew da ab > to become faint, languish God s speed at answering our cries is often not as fast as we would like. When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. (John 11:6) The cry of the afflicted is: How long, O Lord? How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire? Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? (Psalm 89:46,47) When an answer seems slow in coming, the afflicted can begin to wonder if God is truly on it or if He has hidden His face from their situation. How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? (Psalm 13:1,2) Delayed answers can cause us to question WHY God would hide His face from us.

6 LORD, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me? I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up (Psalm 88:14,15) While God promises to turn to and rescue the afflicted who are keeping His ways; He promises to twist away from those who have twisted away from Him (until they repent.) For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward. For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks. (Psalm 18:21,26,27) froward > Hebrew pawthal > twist from There are indeed times when God hides His face from men and will not hear their cry. Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings. (Micah 3:4) Behold, the LORD S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. (Isaiah 59:1,2) When Israel received no answers from God because of their iniquities, they stopped calling upon Him. And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities. (Isaiah 64:7) In times of delay, the righteous can foolishly and falsely believe that God is hiding His face from them. Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever. Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression? (Psalm 44:18,23,24) Scripture assures us that God does not hide His face or close His ears to the affliction of the righteous. For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard. (Psalm 22:24)

7 The Lord is not oblivious to the pain felt by the afflicted. His eyes and ears are open to their situation. And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows (Exodus 3:7) The Lord has great sympathy for the afflicted. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. (Isaiah 63:9) The afflicted are encouraged to pray because it is easy to stop praying when we believe God is not listening. Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. (James 5:13) God encourages those who are seeking Him and His righteousness to continue waiting on Him for the good things He has in store. For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him. Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways (Isaiah 64:4,5) God gives the afflicted a threefold exhortation. Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer (Romans 12:12) Because the righteous are promised an eventual deliverance from their affliction, they are exhorted to not faint in prayer. For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. (Psalm 72:12) And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

8 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:1 8)