Life’s Uncertainties are God’s Certainties (Jer 29:11 KJV) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. How many …

Life’s Uncertainties are God’s Certainties

(Jer 29:11 KJV) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

How many times have you heard that this world is out of control? Sometimes it may seem that way with all the planned wars for profit, crime, drugs, alcohol, sexual crimes, divorces, financial catastrophes, natural catastrophes, etc. If we were to focus on the events of this world it could become a source for depression. If we filter these events through the omnipotence of God, then we will realize that everything this world is enduring right now is under His total control and there is no such thing as anything under God’s control being out of control.

One of the great mistakes we make is that we view things from our perspective and that is the perspective of fallen man. If we begin to view things through the eyes of God, then we will realize whatever is happening is totally planned. There were many in the Bible who underwent situations which seemed to be very contradictory to the nature of God and may have perplexed them. Let us look at some of the Biblical characters who underwent these times of blind trials from their point of view and did not understand what was happening.

Noah

(Gen 6:14 KJV) Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.

Man had become very corrupt and God had pronounced that the end of all flesh was before Him. Noah had found grace in the eyes of the Lord and God commanded Noah to make an ark. Now up to this point in history, there was no such thing as a flood because the earth was watered by a rising mist but the sins of man were very great and God was going to destroy evil man. Now for 120 years Noah had built the ark according to the specifications which God gave him but did he really understand the reason for this undertaking? Did Noah really understand the reality that after he finished the ark, the animals would be brought to him to place on the ark and then when the animals and his family were safe aboard the ark, then the deluge came. Now up until the time the ark was completed, Noah had faithfully executed the Lord’s commands.

(Gen 6:22 KJV) Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he. Noah did it on faith because he himself had never seen what the Lord had promised and that was a flood. God had promised a certain thing and it came to pass at the appointed time.

Abraham

(Gen 12:1 KJV) Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee:

Here Abram was told by God to leave his native country to go to a land that God would show him.

(Gen 12:4 KJV) So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. Now Abram departed according to the word of the Lord and at this point God did not tell him exactly where he was going. Abram was heading to an uncertain land because he had no idea where he was to settle down. Yet, all the while it was a certainty in God’s plan that Abraham would be the progenitor of the nation of Israel through whom the Lord Jesus Christ would come. To leave the land of Haran was a very uncertain thing to do, yet from God’s point of view, it was a certainty which would affect the lives of billions in the future through the Lord Jesus Christ. God sees our lives from beginning to end, yet He only reveals it to us in small amounts.

Joseph

(Gen 39:1 KJV) And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.

There was probably no one who had faced uncertainty more intensely than Joseph. Joseph was not only harshly treated by his brethren but they sold him as a slave to be taken to Egypt. How uncertain would that be in your life because in those days, slaves were nothing more than chattel and Joseph had faced the possibility of displeasing his master and then face torture and execution. Joseph could not see beyond each day as to what was happening in his life. Yet, the uncertainties which seemed to be prevalent from Joseph’s point of view were certainties in God’s eyes. Joseph had gained favor in the sight of Potiphar and just when things seemed to be going right for him, Potiphar’s wife had falsely accused him of sexual advances and he was then thrown into prison. It seemed that with all Joseph had done, he now had to start over again. Here was another uncertainty in the life of Joseph but God’s plan for him was well under way. After being in the prison for while, Joseph had now gained favor with the warden of the prison.

(Gen 39:21 KJV) But the LORD was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. It was in the prison where Joseph would make the divine connection which God planned for him.

If he would have still been at Potiphar’s house, he would never have met the Chief Baker and Chief Butler in the prison. The Chief Baker was hanged but it was through the Chief Butler where Joseph would be introduced to Pharaoh, but not for another two years. Then at that time God gave Pharaoh the dreams of the impending famine in Egypt and now God was about to exalt Joseph because he was faithful to God in all the uncertainties that he faced and yet it was all the certainty of God.

(Gen 41:39-40 KJV) And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath showed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: {40} Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. Always keep in mind that facing uncertainty in the will of God is a definite certainty in the plan of God. Even in uncertain times, Joseph was faithful to God especially in the times he did not understand what was happening but his faithfulness yielded him one of the most prestigious positions in all of Egypt. Do you think Joseph would have attained that position if he yelled and blamed God for all the seemingly bad things which happened to him? I think we know the answer to that. Sometimes God keeps us in a state of uncertainty until we completely trust Him and then when the dross of faithlessness is gone, He can then work His plan.

Naomi

(Ruth 1:3-5 KJV) And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. {4} And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years. {5} And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.

Here have Naomi who had lost her husband and her two sons. It was a great time of uncertainty for her because in ancient times, widows were considered a lower class of people in the social order plus superstitions ran rampant and Naomi could have been considered one who was cursed. She did not know that these three deaths would cause her to go back to Israel and with her went Ruth. Neither of them knew what awaited them when they returned. It was another time of great uncertainty, all the while God was working out His plan in Ruth’s life. Sometimes God’s plan is worked out in the lives of one we know but we have a great part in that plan. If Naomi did not go back to Israel, then Ruth may have gone back to Moab. Ruth had a love for Naomi and wanted to be by her side. So Ruth accompanied Naomi back to Israel where uncertainties had awaited for Ruth since Moab was an ancient enemy of Israel. Ruth had no idea that she would find favor in the sight of Boaz and that they would get married and through their lineage would come David and the Lord Jesus Christ. It was a great time of uncertainty for Ruth but when God’s plan began to unfold, it was a time of Divine certainty. During the entire time, even during the tragedies Naomi suffered, God’s plan was slowly being unfolded in her life.

David

(1 Sam 16:1 KJV) And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

God had rejected Saul as King of Israel and commanded Samuel to go to Jesse and anoint his son David as the next King of Israel. For quite a number of years David was on the run from Saul because Saul sought to kill him. It was a time of uncertainty for David because one day he was anointed King of Israel and the next he was on the run from Saul as a fugitive. All the while this was the plan of God unfolding in the life of David as David exercised great faith in God while he was on the run and learned many spiritual principles.

(1 Sam 17:36 KJV) 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 had seen the armies of Israel as not just physical armies but it was the armies of the living God. David was viewing this from God’s point of view while others were viewing it from man’s point of view. (1 Sam 24:6 KJV) And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD. Saul had pursued David and David had a perfect opportunity to kill Saul and take the throne, however, he was learning that God had placed Saul on the throne and it was not his place to usurp God’s authority. When Saul’s time was finished, God would remove him and place David on the throne. We must remember that the Lord’s timing is not our timing. David had to learn many things before he took the throne officially. It was God’s certainty that David would be king, but it was also God’s timing and during that time period, it may carry many seeming uncertainties yet they are all certainties in God’s plan.

Job

(Job 1:18-19 KJV) While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: {19} And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

Probably when it comes to personal suffering no one is more famous than Job. He had lost his family, flocks, and servants. It was a great time of uncertainty for Job because in that time, calamity on that scale would have meant that you had become an enemy of God and that is why you suffered like that. Yet this was all in God’s plan and it was a certainty with God that Job was not to be forsaken but only to be tested. Job had no idea that there was a spiritual battle going on in Heaven at that time between God and Satan. Satan thought he could bring Job to the point of cursing God but God knew that Job would do no such thing.

(Job 1:22 KJV) In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. Job suffered the greatest loss a human can suffer and that was loss of all ten of his children, yet, he did not blame God or make any accusations against Him. Job was a saved man and kept his testimony during the entire ordeal. All the uncertainties that Job would face at the hands of his four friends was yet ahead of him and even through their erroneous counsel, Job kept his testimony. The uncertainties Job faced on a natural and human scale, were the certainties of God who upheld His servant during this time of testing. Job was not forsaken, although it looked like it, but he did not have the information we have about what went on behind the scenes.

Summary

We have looked at six individuals from the Scriptures who at times in their lives had faced uncertainties. It seemed like circumstances which were beyond their control would turn out to their detriment and yet, those very uncertainties according to their point of view, were all God’s certainties that turned out for the good of the individuals and had also affected for the good those around them. Whenever we face uncertain times in our life, we must realize that as children of God, He will be working something in our lives. Every aspect of our lives are under the control of God and even though multiple trials may hit any of us at one time, they will never cause our life to go out of control, even though it may seem it is and that we could possibly take no more. As God guided the trials of the six we saw, all of their endings were to the glory of God. As we face trials, God will guide us through them and bring us out victoriously.

(Psa 48:14 KJV) For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death. Trials are a part of the life of every believer but it is how we approach those trials will determine how long we will be in the furnace of affliction and the outcome of those trials. If we follow the principles of the six, we will see one overriding theme among them and that was their faith in God never wavered, even though they were not sure what was happening in their lives. If we continue to have faith in God during times of trials, then everything else will fall into place in God’s timing.

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