TEST OR PUNISHMENT
Job 7:17-18 “What are mere mortals, that you make so much of them? Why do you keep them on your mind? Why examine them every morning and test them every moment?
What does this mean, that every morning, God examines us and tests us every moment? Why does He do this? What is His purpose? And are we ready to undergo tests every moment of our lives? Do we wake up with expectation to be tested? And what exactly does it mean, the testing of God? God tests us, not because He is mean or He wants to punish us. On the contrary, a test is a sign of God’s favor. He tests us, because He wants to establish our value. A jeweler puts gold and silver through certain tests. He does this, because these metals have a value and a special purpose. He doesn’t care about testing iron or aluminum.
In the era of the patriarchs, there lived one man, who had an unusual righteousness. His name was Job. God highly valued Job. He characterized him as The most righteous man in his time: Adonai asked the Adversary, “Did you notice my servant Iyov, that there’s no one like him on earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and shuns evil?” Job 1:8. Satan however, in his characteristic manner, argued with God and claimed that Job lived righteously only because he wanted to receive something from God: “Is it for nothing that Job fears God? You’ve put a protective hedge around him, his house and everything he has. You’ve prospered his work, and his livestock are spread out all over the land. But if you reach out your hand and touch whatever he has, without doubt he’ll curse you to your face!” Job 1:9-11
In reply He allows Satan to test Job. At first He allows Satan to destroy everything that belonged to Job: everything he had, his servants and his kids. Then, God even allows Satan to touch the body of Job and hit him with leprosy from head to toe, but He didn’t allow Satan to take the life of Job. Job understood that God was testing him. And he said: when he has tested me, I will come out like gold. Job 23:10. Job – is that – gold, that underwent the test of fire. He cried out in the agony of his soul, but didn’t give up. He didn’t listen to the suggestion of his wife, but showed patience, long-patience, not changing his position before God: “Why do you still hold on to your integrity? Curse God, and die!” But he answered her, “You’re talking like a low-class woman! Are we to receive the good at God’s hands but reject the bad?” In all this Job did not say one sinful word. Job 2:9-10. It was very typical of Elifaz and his two other religious friends, to make a conclusion, that the reason for his suffering was his sin. They slandered him horribly. But in the end, God defended Job’s innocence and put his friends back in their places. He said to Elifaz: “Unlike my servant Job, you have not spoken rightly about me.” Job 42:7. Those surounding Job, his wife and his friends, couldn’t recognize the true reasons why these things were happening to him, and accepted his test as a punishment. Job underwent stringent testing, because he had a special calling: to demonstrate to the whole world what a true righteous person looks like.
Abraham was another righteous man, who also suffered a severe test. God asked him to bring his son as a burnt sacrifice. What did Abraham live through in his heart when he lead his only son to the alter? What suffering did his soul feel? But he didn’t stop halfway, he didn’t change his covenant with God, he stubbornly went forward, to fulfill God’s Will. Abraham underwent a special test, because he had a special fate – to become the father of God’s chosen nation, Jews and non-Jews alike who have followed Yeshua. God applies special tests for those for whom God has a special purpose.
The New Testament clearly warns us that, as disciples and followers of Yeshua Messiah, we must expect to be tested. Peter compares our faith with gold, authenticity, which needs to be tested with fire. Yakov (James) tells us that we need to regard tests as joy: Regard it all as joy, my brothers, when you face various kinds of temptations; for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. But let perseverance do its complete work; so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing. Look, we regard those who persevered as blessed. You have heard of the perseverance of Job, and you know what the purpose of Adonai was, that Adonai is very compassionate and merciful. James 1:2-4; 5:11. Yakov (James) speaks of Job, as a blessed righteous man, who showed the world an example of patience and stayed faithful to his God. Yakov also underlines that, the Lord, testing Job, had a special purpose. For a long period of time, the example that Job showed, has been a demonstration to many generations of believers of what patience looks like, going through testing to stay faithful and to enter into the eternal Kingdom of the Lord God. It is very important for us to be able to distinguish between God’s test and His punishment. Many believers think that since they are now believers, that are freed from God’s punishment, especially if they are believers for a long period of time, or if they hold a priestly mission. But this idea is not Scriptural based. To these believers, the following is written in the book of Hebrews: Also you have forgotten the counsel which speaks with you as sons:“My son, don’t despise the discipline of Adonai or become despondent when he corrects you. For Adonai disciplines those he loves and whips everyone he accepts as a son.” Regard your endurance as discipline; God is dealing with you as sons. For what son goes undisciplined by his father? All legitimate sons undergo discipline; so if you don’t, you’re a bastard and not a son! Hebrews 12:5-8
God works with Moshe in a very impressive manor. Moshe was 80 years old when God ordered him to return to Egypt and to free Israel from slavery. When Moshe was on his way to Egypt, God wanted to kill him. (Exodus 4:24-26) Why? Because of disobedience. Moshe didn’t follow the covenant of circumcision, which God made with Abraham and his descendants. (Genesis 17:9-14). And only after Moshe repented and circumstancized his son, did God spare him and allowed him to continue on his way. God considered it better to destroy Moshe, rather then allow him to continue in disobedience, carrying out such an important mission, such as saving the whole nation of Israel. The position of leadership Moshe held, did not free him from God’s punishment for disobedience, rather demanded him to follow God’s will in everything. Nobody can fulfill a godly mission in his life, if in his life there is disobedience.
King David, thinking about his fate in eternity, says to God: Examine me, God, and know my heart; test me, and know my thoughts. See if there is in me any hurtful way,and lead me along the eternal way. Psalm 139:23-24. If we openly allow God to examine our hearts, and in doing so He doesn’t point to our bad character or to our sins, then we can conclude that what we are going through is not a punishment. In the meantime, it is a test, which has come into our life, in order for us to be made even more patient in our walk with the Lord. In testing, God trains us in patience and prepares us to overcome even harder tests that will come in the last days.
After learning the difference between a test and a punishment, we must react properly to what is happening. Our response to a punishment but be to repent, but our response to a test must be patience. All too often, we simply do not have the courage to admit that what has come upon us, is a punishment from God. And we rush to attack satan, when all we need to do in that moment is simply to repent for what we have done. The real root of the problem – pride. Often we are quite arrogant and beleive that, that what we are doing is, of course, pleasing to God. But is it so in reality? Sinning, we, stubbornly, convince ourselves and others, that we are not at fault and thus we lock ourselves in sin, exacerbating our situation
If we would feel an understanding of what God wants to do in our lives, then we would change our attitude towards Him. We would allow Him to exchange our disbelief – with belief, our distrust – with trust, disobedience with obedience. Accepting Yeshua Messiah as Lord and Savior is only the first step of our path to achieve true faith. The prossess will be complete when our faith will grow into absolute trust in God. King David said, in Psalm 37:5 ‘Commit your way to Adonai; trust in him, and he will act” To commit your way to The Lord means to believe in Him. Beleive that only He knows the right way, and that only He can lead you to His eternal Kingdom. Trust in Him means to have a true relationship with Him throughout your whole life, trusting Him in all life’s situations and in humility accepting from Him any decision that He makes. And then He will make your life successful. Many believers take the first step, the act of faith, but then don’t develop a relationship of trust. It’s strange, but to many of us, it is easier to trust in earthly organizations than the God of heaven! The very first goal that God pursues, testing us – is to build our trust in him. While being in the heart of the test, Job says: Look, he will kill me — I don’t expect more, but I will still defend my ways … Job 13:15. This position of Job prompted God to open in him that, what was hidden from many: “But I know that my Redeemer lives,that in the end he will rise on the dust; so that after my skin has been thus destroyed,then even without my flesh, I will see God. I will see him for myself,my eyes, not someone else’s, will behold him.My heart grows weak inside me! Job 19:25-27. Our salvation from sin does not become whole until, we have addressed the consequences of the fall and that, within us, trust has not grown. Because of this, we must go through many tests. It is very important for us to always see God’s end goal in front of us: to discipline in us the unshakable trust in that, that He is worthy of absolute trust. We are all searching for great acheivments rather then to change our character. However, God is more interested in our character then in our acheivments. Acheivments are important only for a short period of time, but character is eternal. It determines our position in eternity. God will not allow us to be tested beyond what we can handle. He will not demand from us that what He demanded of Yeshua. I hope also, He won’t demand from us that what He demanded of Job. Each test we go through, is focused on forming our character. And this will last until we become everything that God has called us to be in Messiah. How blessed is the man who perseveres through temptation! For after he has passed the test, he will receive as his crown the Life which God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12.
