During the wilderness journey Moses not only instructed the children of Israel out of the Word and Law of God, but exhorted, counselled and warned them as to their conduct and how they should be exercised under particular circumstances. In Deuteronomy, chapter 4, he anticipates that after a long period of time in the land of Canaan, that Israel would corrupt themselves and provoke the Lord to anger, and that He would scatter them among the nations. Then Moses follows this with suitable counsel in the following words: “When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God and shall be obedient to His voice; (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God) He will not forsake thee. . . .” And when God’s spiritual Israel, His believing people, are in tribulation today, their God is a merciful God indeed and will in no wise forsake them. In addition, there is no lack of counsel and teaching from God, which is given them through the Holy Scriptures for their edification and spiritual profit. And so we would direct the children of God to some particulars worthy of their consideration when they are in tribulation.
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They are warned by the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the actual experiences of His disciples in all ages, that “in the world ye shall have tribulation” (John 16, 33). Although they are declared to be a blessed people as saved by the Lord, and having an interest in the gracious and comforting mercies of the New Covenant, yet they are not to expect immunity here from tribulation of one kind or another, and at some period or another of the sojourn through the world.
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Let them think of the fact that “The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry” (Ps. 34, 15). This is a great and precious, and solemn truth, which David writes of also in the 139th Psalm, in recording the glory of the Lord’s omniscience and omnipresence. He says of the Lord, “Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways;” (Verse 2, 3). The Lord knoweth and seeth them that are His at all times, and certainly when the day of trouble overtakes them. They are never beyond His divine and loving supervision. This surely is matter for serious meditation, as the mind may be led by the Holy Spirit into contemplation of this sublime truth, in the midst of tribulation.
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In the Book of Ecclesiastes there is a fitting advice which reads, “In the day of adversity consider;” an advice which seems to say to the Lord’s people at any rate, ‘Pause and think seriously of relevant matters involved in a time of tribulation.’ We would suggest but two lines of consideration, viz., Is the tribulation a trial permitted by the Most High, as in the case of Joseph for example? Joseph met with grievous tribulation, but not by reason of any heinous sin or backsliding on his part. As we know, there were special divine purposes to be fulfilled in Joseph’s case. And secondly, Is the tribulation the rod of divine chastisement for sins and faults on the part of the believer? As we find in Psalm 89, v. 30-32. “If His children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.” When the child of God is in tribulation these questions are pertinent and vital to their comfort and sanctification, as they seek to discover the mind of the Lord in their case.
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Again, the Christian is clearly and frequently reminded in the Word of God that when affliction overtakes him, his wisdom is to have recourse firstly and primarily to God through the blessed Mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ. In cases, there are undoubtedly divinely provided means and help available, but all these must be considered subservient to “God as a refuge, and strength and a very present help in trouble:” (Ps. 46, vi). In the case of godly King Asa, near the end of his days, “he was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians”: (2nd Chronicles, chap. 16, v. 12.). Now this is obviously recorded as reprehensible conduct on the part of such a godly man, to whom the Lord had manifested so much of His favour previously in face of other troubles of a national character. He appeared to have forgotten in his personal affliction the place God should have from him, and the trust He was worthy of at all times; and so he places unreserved reliance on human aid and succour. As the psalmist expresses the activity of a gracious and lively believer: “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust”: (Ps. 91, v. 2). This is surely the language of grace in times of tribulation.
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Then, “Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray”: (James, chap. 5, v. 13). This is a directive to afflicted and needy believers which is to be found throughout the Bible. The Spirit of grace and of supplications has been bestowed upon them all in measure, and is the very breath of spiritual life in the souls of the regenerate. And although they know not what they should pray for as they ought, yet the Spirit helpeth their infirmities. Daniel when threatened with the den of lions prayed as he did aforetime, as his strength lay in crying to God. And did not Paul pray about the thorn in the flesh? And did not King Hezekiah when he was sick unto death, cry to the Most High with tears? Prayer was not a vain thing to these god-fearing men when they were in tribulation. They entered into communion with God their Saviour thereby, and He heard and answered according to His will and pleasure in each case. And what an example there is in the holy exercise of the precious Redeemer Himself! “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” (Heb. v. v. 7).
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And how desirable and needful is a meek and submissive spirit in the day of trouble. It is note-worthy that it was when Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married, that it is in this context that it is recorded, “Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth”: (Numbers, ch. 12, v. 1-3). What a commendation was this! Then Job himself under different circumstances, and in face of heavy adversity was enabled to express his mind thus: “Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job, 2. v. 10). This is a frame of heart which only can be exercised by the child of God under sufficient measure of abounding grace, whereby the carnal and flesh rebellion of the old nature is subdued, and the soul guided and influenced thus by grace out of the fullness of the Son of God. Therefore come boldly to the throne of grace and find grace to help in time of need.
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Finally, many of the great and precious promises of God which are yea and amen, in Christ Jesus, and which are held out to those who fear His name, are promises of full and final deliverance out of all tribulation. These will be implemented by God, who is faithful who promised. For the tried Christian to have one of these promises applied to his heart by the Holy Spirit, is to experience a “lifting up” indeed—a lifting up to “rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Hear what the Holy Spirit says by the Apostle Paul: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory”: (2 Corinth. Chap iv, v. 17). So then, let not the Christian envy the prosperous and trouble free worldling, who is without Christ and without hope in view of Eternity; but let such wonder that they do possess a humble hope in Christ and His precious blood of everlasting rest, albeit they meet with tribulation on the way to that rest which remaineth to the people of God.