Why did God not intervene?
A couple of days ago, my youngest daughter was feeling off color and phoned from her office for a lift home. My wife conveyed the message to me and asked if I would go and fetch her.
Our car was very low on petrol, so I decided to use my daughter’s sister’s car as she was attending a funeral in another city. So I got myself ready to fetch her, leaving what I was busy with and climbed into the car and began my journey to her office. On the way there I entered a slip off left at a major intersection with a yield sign up ahead. In front of me was another car that stopped before entering the traffic, I immediately stopped behind, thinking why did she stop? The driver in the vehicle behind me did not respond in time and crashed into the back of my daughter’s car.
The Accident
My first response was a cry of “Oh No“! And then “Why“!!
After all I was doing a good deed, and now I would have to tell my daughter that her car has been smashed. Let alone all the rigmarole of Insurance claims, repairs etc. These things should not happen to a preacher of the Gospel, after all God has promised to guard my back.
I went through a period of questioning, following the accident as I was quite shaken up by it. After all we are all human and prone to failure at times. Afterwards I discovered there had been over 482 accidents reported at the local police station that day. So there were many others like me also asking the same question “Why“.
Today I visited another forum, where atheists were responding negatively to a tragedy that involved the death of two very pretty young girls who inadvertently opened the passenger door of their father’s truck on the way back to the farm. They both fell out at a corner of the sand road and the rear wheel crushed them. Christians were consoling both parents after the tragedy saying they were now in heaven.. Again the question “Why didn’t God intervene“.
This led me back into thinking about my accident and the questions in my mind. A thought reminded me of Christ’s dying words on the Cross.
“Matthew 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? “.
Thinking about the events leading up to this as well as the prophecy contained in Isaiah, an explanation began to take shape in my mind.
Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Christ was well aware of his destiny and the purpose of his short sojourn amongst humanity. It is that purpose that is the answer to all human suffering and tragedy.
Hebrews 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
When we look at this world and we see the amount of tragedy that has taken place throughout history, we see man’s inhumanity towards one another. We see famines, wars, natural disasters, plagues and accidents etc. These have all contributed to the suffering of individuals and nations.
So the question remains “Why God?”
Ever since the fall of Adam, we have accounts of human tragedy and death that has always followed.
Divine Intervention in the scripture has preserved certain individuals and their descendants to fulfill the purpose of bringing many to Glory.
When you consider that humanity is often prone to error and misjudgment, the size of the human population then you begin to understand why God forsook Christ on the cross. In that divine intervention could have instantly prevented the suffering of Christ, who is the symbol of all human suffering.
Our lives are very short when compared to eternity, and eternity through Christ’s suffering and death at the hands of wicked men is the answer to the first death ever recorded in the scripture. Abel died because of Cain’s jealousy.
God did not intervene then either, for Adam chose the way of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And humanity has throughout its history experienced both.
Our mistakes and failures are always subject to the forsaken Christ opening the path to Glory. Our Corporate Identity with Christ in his suffering and death is the reason why we appear to be forsaken too.
2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
2 Corinthians 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
In the mind of God we are all dead already, and very soon we shall see him. For he sees us clothed in Glory and in paradise with him.
Human suffering comes to an end the day we die and are glorified. Those who we lost on this short journey following Christ through suffering and death we will meet again.
1 Peter 4:12 /12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 12 ¶ Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
It is the eternal purpose of God that outweighs all that may happen in our lives. Our mistakes, misjudgments and decisions have been forgiven, even the question “Why God“.
Isaiah 35:10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Whom He justified, them He also glorified.”-Romans 8:30
Here is a precious truth for thee, believer. Thou mayest be poor, or in suffering, or unknown, but for thine encouragement take a review of thy “calling” and the consequences that flow from it, and especially that blessed result here spoken of. As surely as thou art God’s child today, so surely shall all thy trials soon be at an end, and thou shalt be rich to all the intents of bliss. Wait awhile, and that weary head shall wear the crown of glory, and that hand of labour shall grasp the palm-branch of victory. Lament not thy troubles, but rather rejoice that ere long thou wilt be where “there shall be neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.” The chariots of fire are at thy door, and a moment will suffice to bear thee to the glorified. The everlasting song is almost on thy lip. The portals of heaven stand open for thee. Think not that thou canst fail of entering into rest. If He hath called thee, nothing can divide thee from His love. Distress cannot sever the bond; the fire of persecution cannot burn the link; the hammer of hell cannot break the chain. Thou art secure; that voice which called thee at first, shall call thee yet again from earth to heaven, from death’s dark gloom to immortality’s unuttered splendours. Rest assured, the heart of Him who has justified thee beats with infinite love towards thee. Thou shalt soon be with the glorified, where thy portion is; thou art only waiting here to be made meet for the inheritance, and that done, the wings of angels shall waft thee far away, to the mount of peace, and joy, and blessedness, where,
“Far from a world of grief and sin,
With God eternally shut in,”
thou shalt rest for ever and ever.
C H Spurgeon Daily DEvotional
All events are under the control of Providence; consequently all the trials of our outward life are traceable at once to the great First Cause. Out of the golden gate of God’s ordinance the armies of trial march forth in array, clad in their iron armour, and armed with weapons of war. All providences are doors to trial. Even our mercies, like roses, have their thorns. Men may be drowned in seas of prosperity as well as in rivers of affliction. Our mountains are not too high, and our valleys are not too low for temptations: trials lurk on all roads. Everywhere, above and beneath, we are beset and surrounded with dangers. Yet no shower falls unpermitted from the threatening cloud; every drop has its order ere it hastens to the earth. The trials which come from God are sent to prove and strengthen our graces, and so at once to illustrate the power of divine grace, to test the genuineness of our virtues, and to add to their energy. Our Lord in His infinite wisdom and superabundant love, sets so high a value upon His people’s faith that He will not screen them from those trials by which faith is strengthened. You would never have possessed the precious faith which now supports you if the trial of your faith had not been like unto fire. You are a tree that never would have rooted so well if the wind had not rocked you to and fro, and made you take firm hold upon the precious truths of the covenant grace. Worldly ease is a great foe to faith; it loosens the joints of holy valour, and snaps the sinews of sacred courage. The balloon never rises until the cords are cut; affliction doth this sharp service for believing souls. While the wheat sleeps comfortably in the husk it is useless to man, it must be threshed out of its resting place before its value can be known. Thus it is well that Jehovah trieth the righteous, for it causeth them to grow rich towards God. (C H Spurgeon Daily Devotional)