Page 70 - The Divine Quest

The Divine Quest Page 67

before Him perfect and entire, lacking in nothing. We must be assured that all trials
and testing have a good goal in mind. God never tests us to make us fail, but rather
that we might stand, and He provides tremendous grace that we might stand. The
Son of God knows the difficulty of bearing the cross and drinking the cup of
suffering. He therefore is perfectly equipped to stand as a High Priest on our behalf,
making intercession for us, and bestowing an abundance of mercy and grace.

Hebrews 4:15-16
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but
One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us
draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and
find grace to help in time of need.

Besides the Bible being a book of suffering, it is also a book of assurance. These two
things, suffering and assurance comprise the bulk of the message of Scripture. God
does not just call the saints to suffer and then leave them on their own. He has given
us plenteous assurance that He will be with us in everything, and that nothing can
separate us from His love. The Old Testament is filled with histories of men and
women who were led through trials and difficulties, and the victory that was theirs
as God supported them, encouraged them, and gave them numerous confirmations
of His love and presence with them.

Those who will go on to maturity and receive the reward of the overcomer are those
who stand firm in their confidence of God’s love for them. Those who are like the
Israelites when God tested them at the Red Sea, who display no confidence in His
love for them, will fail to follow Him down the paths He would lead them down.
These will form gods after the fashion of the ones in Egypt; gods that will allow them
to party and celebrate all the excesses of the flesh.

This is the message of the golden calf that Aaron made for the people of Israel to
worship. Yahweh was too severe for them. Yahweh was hard on the flesh of the
people, and they wanted a god that would not lead them to suffering, but to pleasure
instead. So they fashioned this god of their own imagination and then they frolicked
before it. Has not the church done the same thing today? Has not the church
despised the message of the cross and the true image of Christ and formed for
themselves another Christ and adopted another gospel that will allow their flesh to
remain untouched, and which will allow their soul to pursue all that it desires?

Yet there is a remnant people, like unto the tribe of Levi of old, who have not joined
in the worship of this false god. These ones will be selected as kings and priests to
serve in the presence of Yahweh. These will be given access to His presence and to
His most holy things. These will bear the image of Christ and share in His glory.