God turns the lives of those whom He covenantly loves upside down.

“…Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22 NAS95).

“Surely You set them in slippery places;
You cast them down to destruction. How they are destroyed in a moment!
They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors!” (Psalm 73:18-19 NAS95).

Every kind of evil can trace its origin to the historical Fall of Adam. All that is unclean, unholy, unrighteous and ugly finds its genesis in the disobedience of our first father and the subsequent curse of God, the Creator. At the same time, the Fall brought about separation within the race itself. As a matter of fact, it was God, who by pronouncing judgement on the serpent, triggered this spiritual schism within humanity (Genesis 3:15). I think that satan thought that with the rebellion of Adam and Eve, he would be able to sweep away the entire race to the point of eternal condemnation. To his disappointment, our merciful Maker promised the serpent and us that enmity between his seed and the woman’s seed will always exist until the last day. I know that the prophecy of Genesis 3:15 primarily refers to Messiah Jesus; however, the Hebrew word for seed or offspring used in this verse -זֶ֫רַע (zerá)- can be either plural or singular. Therefore, God could have indicated that the enemies of satan and his seed would be God’s Holy Son and human children whom He would adopt through Jesus. It is possible that the Holy Spirit intended this double meaning all along, which is also in accord with almost all messianic promises given by later biblical writers in the history of Scriptures.

We see this spiritual separation within humanity taking roots right away in the second generation of humans, the first ones ever to be born, Cain and Abel. It’s apparently that both are taught by their parents, especially Adam, to bring a sacrifice to their offended Judge and Executor. By faith, Abel offered a blood sacrifice required to cover sin, but it seems that Cain just didn’t care about his sin or the wrath of the Holy God, and definitely did not have saving faith, therefore, his sacrifice was rejected (Genesis 4:3-4, Hebrews 11:4). Hostility ensued, and one of them ended up murdered at the hands of the other one. The faithful one, Abel, entered the kingdom of God via a tribulation, and the faithless one, Cain, was swept away to hell, as the aforementioned verses promised. God segregated humanity into two groups: the repentant sinners and the unrepentant rebels. Their physical lives and eternal destinations would be also different and in opposition. This split persisted throughout biblical history: the family of Cain and of Seth (the third child of Adam and Eve), Noah and his household and the rest of the ancient world, Abraham’s nation and the other nations, true Jews and children of Abraham and those who were not (Romans 2:28-29), Jesus the Christ and the false messiahs, Christ’s people-His sheep- and the tares (Matthew 13:25). Even my Lord highlighted the necessity for this spiritual separation when He said He brought a sword with His coming that would and has indeed separated even most intimate human relationships (Matthew 10:34-36).

What I am trying to convey with this post is not only the reality that a spiritual partition exists between the children of God and the children of the devil, which human history itself affirms. What I am trying to express is that on account of God making distinction between believers and unbelievers, their earthly lives end up being completely different. It blows my mind to think that the infinite God of creation with a vast number of supernatural beings at His service would stoop down to elect me for salvation. The thought that because I am in Christ I am the recipient of all the mercy, kindness and grace of God overwhelms me with gratitude and privilege. At the same time, due to the frailty and the weakness of my flesh, I recognize that there is a great price that I must pay to receive all the goodness of God. How difficult it is to pay this price!!! I perceive that God has turned my world upside down. Although the glories of heaven together with my King are waiting for me, my life down here has been filled with tribulations and pain, while so many others are able to enjoy ease and a smooth life. Maybe like my brother Asaph before me, I have become a brute beast (Psalm 73:22) or as my other brother, Job, the works of the Lord are too complex for my mind to comprehend (Job 42:3) to the fullest extent. I do know whom the Lord loved He foreknew in ages past, in the present age He calls and justifies, and in the age to come He will glorify. Yet I also know whom the Lord loves, He chastises, scourges, rebukes and disciplines (Proverbs 3:11-12, Revelation 3:19). Perhaps, I find myself seeing that “all discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet ( I am certain that) to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness” (Hebrews 12:11). Certainly, I don’t want anything to do with the other option. Although those who decide to live without Christ might arrogantly enjoy the present prosperity, their eyes might bulge from fatness (a sign of flourishing in the ancient world), might not be plagued like the poor of the land, might blaspheme the heavens and the One who inhabits them, might always be at ease and increasing in wealth (Psalm 73:3-12), “…still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly, but it will not be well for the evil man and he will not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God” (Ecclesiastes 8:12-13 NAS95). In the twinkle of the eye, those who reject Christ will slip and fall, never to rise again. On the other hand, Christ’s followers “…will  shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father…” (Matthew 13:43 NAS95).

What shall I say to all of this? I will continue to be subject to the Father of the spirits and live, and also share in His holy nature by the means of His discipline (Hebrews 12:9-10), which is the goal of my redemption through Christ Jesus, my Lord. Amen!