The Providence of Pain

Isaiah 66 is a tremendous chapter in the prophetic book written to Israel.  Most of Isaiah is written to warn of coming judgment on God’s chosen nation-Israel.  The theme of judgment and grace is obvious as one studies this Scripture, but this last chapter focuses on the coming judgment of God on the wicked nations and deliverance for his people.  I believe in a difference between the nation of Israel and the church.  Not all the promises of land and prosperity apply to the church, however; just like the nation of Israel, God’s church looks for his return as He comes the second time with indignation and His might fully revealed.  So the prophet of God closes his prophecy with a reminder of who God is.  He is the one whose throne is heaven and whose footstool is this orb we live upon.  The One who cannot be contained by anything made with human hands.  And this man will that immutable God regard-one who is poor and contrite in his spirit, and one who trembles at His Word.  And so I ask this question–“Do I tremble at His Word?”  or do I take the written revelation of God’s truth breathed out by God to holy men who paid for it with their blood, as something I can survive without.  I cannot, we cannot survive without the Word of God, and we dare not stand before it haughty and proud.  We must humbly tremble before His Word.  So God demands that his people humble themselves as we enter his presence through his Word, the King’s proclamation!  But he also gives comfort to his people in the middle portion of the chapter.  He reminds them that a woman experiences the pain of labor and travail of birth, but then she brings forth a child.  God asks them if they really believe that he would bring them through the pain of delivery leading up to the moment when the baby is born and stop there? No, God allows and brings the pain of labor, but brings forth the joy and blessing of a child.  Whether this passage is solely speaking of the events outlined in the book of Revelation, I do not know; but I do know that I discovered an awesome principle of God’s goodness in this passage.  God allows and brings to pass some very difficult things in life.  God allows for people to hate you, to despise you, to slander you. God allows disaster to strike, danger to lurk, and nature to wreak havoc.  God allows inner turmoil and debate, fear and wonder.  But all of these “birth pains” all lead to the glory of a deeper fuller relationship with Him.  If you are in the middle of your “birth pains” do not fear nor give in, God will not bring you through the trial without providing the wonderful blessing of a transformed life.  God is too good to only allow the travail, and he is too good to simply bring the blessing, he does both for His glory and our growth.