ALONE WITH GOD     

SOURCE OF TRIALS

  Trials and temptations are often confounded. Trials may come either from the Lord or from Satan. Satan tries us to see whether he can find in us any weakness, to reduce our strength, to overcome and destroy us. The Lord tries us in order to inure us to hardship and thereby strengthen us, so that when Satan tries us, we shall be able to overcome. In the same way soldiers are tried, tested, and inured to hardship, in the routine of military discipline, so that when the battle comes and exposure becomes necessary, they may be able to endure. God tries us to see how strong we are, to test our decision and trueness, to increase our strength, and our decision and increase our loyalty. Satan tempts us to see how weak we are, to see whether there is any indecision or untrueness in us; to decrease our strength, weaken our decision, and spoil our loyalty. Temptations never come from the Lord. "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man." James 1:13. The Lord tries us, but He never tempts us. "The Lord is in his holy temple, and the Lord's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men." Psa. 11:4. "I the Lord search the heart I try the reins even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." Jer. 17:10. The Lord sometimes tries us in order to see what we will do; in order to prove the submission of our wills and the decision of our hearts to serve and obey Him. We have an example of this in John 6 :5, 6. "When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do." Authorized Version. "And this he said, to try him; for he knew what he was about to do." —Syriac.

  It was foretold by prophets of old that the people of God should be tried. "Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." Dan. 12:10. "Many must be tested, and thoroughly whitened, and tried with fire, and sanctified; but the transgressors shall transgress: and none of the transgressors shall understand; but the wise shall understand."—Septuagint.

  Seeing, then, that the Bible says that we are to be tried and that God tries us, you should, "beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you." 1 Peter 4:12.

  Job's trial was permitted by the Lord, yet Satan was allowed to apply the test. Both the Lord and Satan were interested in Job's trial. The Lord sought to prove that "Job was a perfect and an upright man, one that feared God and eschewed evil; that there was none like him in the earth." Satan sought to prove that Job's loyalty to God was founded on selfish principles; that he served the Lord only because the Lord had blessed him with temporal prosperity. Said Satan, "Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land; but put forth thy hand now and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face." Satan was anxious to test Job, and to cause him to be disloyal to Jehovah. God was willing to have Job tested in order that the loyalty of his heart and the uprightness of his character might be proved and that he might set an example of suffering for all those who after him should be tried.

WAYS AND MEANS BY WHICH WE ARE TRIED

  As we have just been considering Job's trial, let us consider the ways and means by which he was tried. First, all that he had was taken from him. But upon Job himself God allowed not Satan to put his hand. This test being insufficient to prove any disloyalty in Job, Satan was desirous that he should be tried further. So Satan said unto the Lord, "Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth shine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thy hand; but save his life. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down a m o n g the ashes." Job 2:4-8.

  Job still received some comfort in his wife, who seemingly was spared that his trial might be perfected, but Satan turned her against her husband. "Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain shine integrity? curse God, and die." Job 2:9. This was doubtless the severest point in Job's test. Trials press harder when they come from those whom we love. It seems that Satan spared Job's wife on purpose to have her speak these discouraging words to him in the hour of his sorest trial, Satan thinking by this extreme means to overcome him; but Job "said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips." Job 2:10.

  The next attack of Satan was to send Job's three friends, who were philosophers, to reason him out of his integrity. At first, by their weeping and mourning, they succeeded in discouraging Job a little; but when they attempted to go further and take from him his integrity, Job turned against them and Satan's plans were defeated.

  After Satan had utterly failed to overthrow Job, Jehovah sent Elihu, a man anointed and inspired with wisdom, and through him was able to show Job how to make some improvements, and to bring him to a place where the Lord could speak to him. When Job recognized the voice of God, he humbled himself in sackcloth and ashes, and he came out of the trial stronger than he entered it.

  If you wish to rightly understand the book of Job and to study in detail the different stages of Job's trial, make the following divisions of the book: First, Job untried. Chap. 1:1-12. Second, beginning of Job's trial. Chap. 1:13-22 and Chap. 2. Third, Job's lamentation. Chap. 3, Fourth, Job's comforters ( ? ). Chaps. 3-32. Fifth, God's message through Elihu. Chaps. 32-37. Sixth, God speaks to Job. Chaps. 38-41. Seventh, Job's confession and God's blessing. Chap. 42.

  Note these four ways in which Satan tried Job: First, through his temporal possessions; second, through the affliction of his body; third, through his affections; fourth, through the intellect, by false reasoning and philosophy.

  Satan today is not altogether unlike he was in the days of Job; the human heart also is, to a great extent, the same as it was then; and God often permits us to be tried in the same manner that Job was tried. You have probably thought your trials very hard; but if you will compare them with the trials of Job, you will doubtless conclude that your trials are only "light afflictions" "that will work out a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." Imagine yourself in Job's place. Should all your earthly possessions be taken from you; should your body be afflicted with painful boils from the crown of your head to the soles of your feet; should all your loved ones, except the nearest one to your heart, be summoned to the land of death, and should that dearest one, tempt you in the hour of your sorest trial and discouragement to curse God and die; should Satan, sectarian sophists, and philosophers point to your utter downfall and reason with you of your wrong in taking your stand as you have for the Lord alone —considering the standard of light that you have, would you come out as well as Job did?

  "And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed." Dan. 11:35. Though this text may have some specific application to a certain historical event, yet history often repeats itself, and we are sometimes compelled to face the trying scene of the fall of some of understanding. It is one of the severest of trials to see those who have been far ahead of us in strength and usefulness, stumble and fall; yet if we understand the truth of the matter, the occurrence need not be in any wise discouraging. There cannot be an effect without a cause. We should remember that the Bible says, "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." Prov. 16:18. The strong, through pride of heart, may fall before the tempter's power; while the weak, in the simplicity of his mind and the humility of his heart, may stand the fiercest storms. The battle is not always to the strong, but the humble shall always prosper. Should the trial be yours to witness the fall of some of understanding, do not unwisely say, "If such a one has fallen, one who had knowledge and strength, how can I, in my weakness, stand the trials of life?" Remember that there was a cause for his fall. Keep clear of that cause—pride—and you need have no fear of falling. Let the sad fate of those who have made shipwreck be to you, not a discouragement, but a warning—a warning to steer far from the treacherous rocks of pride against which their bark has crashed.

  "And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God." Zech. 13:9. "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."

  1 Pet. 1:7. God tries us as men try gold and silver and other precious metals—tries us with fire. Our faith and loyalty to God are to be tested as silver and gold are tested. Why, then, should we think it strange and begin to murmur when the fires of adversity, disappointment, discouragement, temptation, and affliction are kindled ? Let us not, my brother or sister, murmur at the trials; for they will only make us stronger and prove to God, to the world, and to Satan that our experience is genuine; that our loyalty to God is not a vain one; that our hearts are fixed, that our trueness is immovable. There is a day coming in which every man's work shall receive the final test and that by fire. "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." 1 Cor. 3 :13.

BENEFITS OF TRIALS

  To some it may seem impossible that any good should come from trials, but to those of more mature experience it is a well known fact that trials are the gateway to higher and brighter grounds in the Christian experience. Every person who has come to a strong and settled experience of salvation will acknowledge that trials have been one of the most effective means of exercising their strength and of settling their spiritual experience. As we have before observed, trials are the stepping stones by which we ascend to higher usefulness. Untried soldiers are never put in responsible positions. In fact, in any vocation or business whatever, only those who have stood the trials and the tests that come to the ordinary man are placed in the more responsible positions. Trials are the hardships which, if patiently endured will make you a good soldier of Jesus Christ. If time, space, and knowledge would permit me to mention every man in every stage of life that has become useful, I could point out each one's trials as the most powerful agents in raising him to his place of usefulness. Those who refuse to be tried can never expect to be great either in the eyes of man or in the eyes of God. Never murmur at your trials, never shrink from a test; for they are angels in disguise. To enumerate every benefit that one can obtain, and every degree of usefulness that one is able to reach alone through tests and trials would occupy much time and space. Every Christian grace, every faculty of body, mind, or soul, is strengthened, fortified and increased by the patient endurance of hardship.

  In the twenty third Psalm David draws a striking and beautiful illustration of the benefits of trials. He says, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." Psa. 23:4. This interesting Psalm is taken from David's experience as a shepherd. By not considering the natural circumstances from which he drew the thoughts contained in the verse just quoted, many have overlooked one phase of the lesson that it teaches. In the mountainous country where David kept his father's sheep there were probably open valleys of tender grass affording good pasture for the sheep. It is well known that a flock of sheep feeding long in the same pasture, unless the pasture be very large, will soon kill out the grass. It is necessary, therefore, after the sheep have remained a few days in one place that they be led to a green pasture, or as the margin of Psa. 23:2 reads, to "pastures of tender grass." In order to get to new pastures he was doubtless often obliged to lead his sheep through narrow valleys and over dangerous places. Probably it was in some of these dark and narrow valleys where David slew the lion and the bear. How natural in the figure to call such places the "valley of the shadow of death"—a valley where death overshadowed a valley where both his own life and the life of his sheep were in danger.

  In general, the application of these texts is confined to physical death alone. However, it is not the valley of death, but the valley of the shadow of death—the valley where death casts his darkest shadow across our pathway; a valley where our life, either spiritual or physical, is endangered. But even in the severest trials, in the darkest valleys, even when gloomy death himself casts his shadow on our pathway, we can say with David, "I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."

  But let us return again to the natural circumstances from which this striking lesson is drawn. Just beyond these dangerous valleys lay the open pastures of tender grass, and every sheep that would lie down in the green pastures or walk beside the still waters had to follow the shepherd from the old pastures through the valley of the shadow of death. The sheep that remained behind, refusing to pass through the valley, would soon famish on the stale food of the old pasture, or when from under the protecting care of the shepherd, be devoured by wild animals. Just so it is in our Christian experience. Jesus, like Oriental shepherds, goes before His flock (John 10:4), and all who would enjoy the rich pastures to which He leads His flock must follow through the valleys—trials. Those who linger behind and fear to follow the Shepherd in the valley of the shadow of death must soon starve or be devoured by evil spirits. But just beyond the severest trial, when the shadow of death has been dispelled by the sunlight of faith, we enter the fields of living green, the pastures of tender grass, and follow the shepherd beside the still waters.

EXAMPLES OF TRIALS

  "By faith Abraham when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called." Heb. 11:17, 18. In the case of Abraham's offering up Isaac there was everything possible to make the trial severe. You will remember that it was God who tried Abraham. Abraham had been true and faithful through everything that had come upon him, but it was God's will to make of him, by testing him to the uttermost, an immortal example to all who should afterwards believe.

  It was hard enough to be required to offer his loving and only child, to slay him with his own hand, and there alone on the mountain behold the death of his loved one and afterwards burn his remains with fire, but this was not all nor the severest aspect of the trial. God had made a solemn covenant with Abraham, in which He had promised that Abraham's seed should be "as the stars of the heavens for multitude, and as the sand which is by the seashore innumerable," and Isaac was his only son and the only hope for the fulfillment of that promise, for God had said, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called." Now see the bewilderment into which Abraham was cast. Looking at it from the viewpoint of natural circumstances, Abraham, it would seem, could have perceived no way for God to be true to His promise; therefore the temptation would naturally have risen to spare his son, because if God were untrue, He was unworthy of so dear a sacrifice. To refuse to obey the Lord meant to lose all that God had promised him, for the promise was on conditions, and to slay his son, viewing it naturally, meant no less, for both he and his wife were past the age of child bearing and Isaac was the only son and the only source through which God could fulfill His promise. Under such circumstances, what do you think you should have done? Compare this with some of the trials you have and see how great your trials are. Abraham believed God, "accounting that God was able to raise him [Isaac] up even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure," and Abraham was called "the friend of God."

  By careful study of the experience of David we can learn more about the enduring of trials. Take first his experience in the slaying of Goliath. When Saul called David's attention to his tender years and to the greatness of the Philistine giant, David told him of some experiences that he had had while herding his father's sheep—experiences that gave him boldness to undertake to deliver the armies of Israel from the boasting and threatening alien giant. "Let no man's heart fail because of him," said David; "thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: and I went after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee." 1 Sam. 17:32-37.

  This was only the beginning, as it were, of David's trials. Even after he had been anointed king over Israel, he was compelled to flee before the face of angry Saul, and to lodge many days in dens and caves and in the mountains, far remote from the comforts of life; but in these trials he learned to endure and also how to pity those in difficult circumstances. He also learned how to show kindness even to his enemies. This was especially necessary, for his enemies were many. The trials which he endured also helped to humble him in the sight of God and to teach him when human strength could not prevail to trust in the Lord Jehovah, in whom is everlasting strength.

  To every one acquainted with the New Testament the example of the apostle Paul in suffering trials cannot fail to be a source of continual encouragement. Hear his description of the trials he suffered and see with what contempt and utter disregard he looked upon them—"But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings: by pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things." 2 Cor. 6:4-10. "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Rom. 8:35-39. "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." 2 Cor. 4 :17.

  After passing through distresses and trials, the apostle Paul, through the abundant grace given unto him, was able to regard them all as "light afflictions." If after considering all that Paul suffered—the instances here mentioned being only a few of those recorded in the New Testament— you consider his trials light afflictions, are your trials enough greater than his to justify you in calling them hard, severe, unbearable? Most people think their trials harder than other people's, and this in itself blinds their eyes to the very weapon by which Satan is quickly put to flight—endurance, and faith in the justice of God.

  Often people are heard to say, "I have the hardest time of anyone on earth. If you had the trials that I have, you could not live right, either. Trouble and disappointment have always been my portion." Reader, if these or like thoughts have been yours, let me call your attention to the testimony of David. You will probably acknowledge that his trials as a shepherd, as a soldier, and as a king are quite as great as yours; then hear his testimony— "Surely goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Psa. 23:6.

  Even Jesus, the perfect Author of salvation's plan was not without trials and temptations. "For verily he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted." Heb. 2:16-18. "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Heb. 4 :15. "Tempted in all points like as we are." Yes, reader, exactly as you are. Then, into whatsoever temptation or trial you may fall, stop for a moment and think; "Jesus was tempted just as I am. He was tried in the manner in which I am now tried. He knows how to succor me. He is touched with the feeling of my infirmities, and he is able to help me, for all power in heaven and in earth is given unto him." Jesus has gone the way before you, has taken every step from the cradle to the grave. Every thorn in the pathway of human life has pierced His tender feet; every heartache that you have endured touched His heart before it did yours. When you have any pain, suffering, trial, or distress, or any hardship whatever, remember that Jesus had it first, and that He is touched with the feeling of your infirmity. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Heb. 4 :16.