Psalms 27:13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.
The above Psalm was actually written when David was being hunted down as the most wanted person in Israel, by Saul. David had to be constantly looking over his shoulder, and he reached a point where he could have no fixed place of abode.
David had not asked to be anointed as king, and the signal defeat of Goliath was all of God’s own doing, but after a day of bright beginnings, David now finds himself at the mercy of Saul, who was bent on not only flushing out David from cave and wilderness, but he intended to strangle him to death with his own hands.
Yet, in spite all of this, David optimistically advises folks, who like him, might find themselves between a rock and a hard place, to wait on The Lord, and to be of a good courage. The immediate question that often arises when we hear the phrase “Wait on the Lord” is: How long should we have to wait, before seeking for alternatives?
This singular question we must now address in this study, for the days that are coming upon the land will call for a faith that will not shrink or falter even when it is severely tried.
To be more specific, the phrase: “Wait on The Lord” can in some instances turn out to be open-ended, meaning that it might not conform to our schedules, timing or deadlines.
The word “Reasonable” is fluid, meaning that it can shift in relevance and application from one person to another, and from one situation to another. But, with God faith is that form of trusting that surpasses reasonableness, since it lets the word be subject to God’s will and way.
Indeed, our human interpretations of the word, in a particular situation, is at times quite different than God’s version of the same word, for in the context of time, His version of “reasonable” is “The fullness of time”. Therefore, it is one of the most critically important, and difficult lessons that folks will ever have to learn as Christians.
For instance, how long would it be “reasonable” for David to wait for the fulfillment of God’s will for him to be king? Every morning, he gets up, and prays for deliverance, and with each passing day the threats against his soul only increase, to the point where he gives voice to the grim premonitions that haunt his mind at times. Let’s read:
1st Samuel 20: 3 And David swore moreover, and said, your father certainly knows that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the Lord lives, and as thy soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.
A single mother who believes in God has to pay her rent by month’s end, but she doesn’t have the funds to pay it. So, she prays to God well in advance asking that He would supply her need, someway somehow. And she waits, and she waits and she waits, but she doesn’t receive any answer.
The end of the month approaches, and still there is no answer, so she reaches out to friends and family asking for help if peradventure God may answer her prayer through some human agent as He often does but nothing seems to pan out. And so, the month- end comes, and still there is no answer.
After a few days, the landlord knocks on her door, as the deadline passes, and he says he would have to serve her an eviction notice. She continues to pray, and still there is no answer.
Thus, in desperation she begins to look for another way out, for she believes that she has run out of all possible options, as far as trusting God to provide is concerned.
The local sheriff comes and posts the eviction notice one her door, with the order to vacate in three days. She is now stuck between “a rock and a hard place,” so what is she supposed to do? Should she still trust God, or should she take matters into her own hands, by considering alternatives that may violate her own conscience?
Believe it or not, this conundrum has taken place in the lives of many Christians, over and over again, to the point where some people have given up on God entirely. And it is because we must confront reality, why the study for today becomes a must.
Some believe, that as far as answering our prayers are concerned, there is a point of no return, when you get stuck between a rock and a hard place and, since to human reasoning you have no other choice, alternative courses of action that violate conscience now become warranted and even justified.
There are several instances of this problem given in the Bible, so that we may study very closely, all the pitfalls and snares we are to expect, as the heat of the furnace is to be ratcheted up several notches in our day. That type of faith which only trusts in God within a designated time frame, is not going to cut it when the mark of the beast rears its ugly head.
Several questions must be addressed and settled in our minds, once and for all, if individuals are to be prepared for the time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation. Remember, the text in the book of Revelation only mentions the following 3 distinct characteristics of God’s people during that time. Let’s read:
Revelation 14: 12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
[1] At what point if ever, or should a person give up on trusting in God?
[2] Does plan B, which may involve the violation of one’s conscience become a viable, justifiable option, when there seems to be no action on God’s part?
[3] If the issue is a life and death situation, does the Bible ever endorse alternatives that would violate the conscience?
For answers, let us take a few examples, and study them really closely so that we may understand what we are reading. God made a promise to the parents of Jacob and Esau, that the younger would rule over the elder son. And like you and me, Rebekah waits and waits, and waits.
Both Jacob and Rebekah wait for the fulfillment for many years, and yet, there seems to be no positive action on God’s part to bring it to pass. And now the old man is on his last leg of existence, and he knows he will die shortly, and yet, there seems to be not a single movement on God’s part. So, what is Rebekah supposed to do?
Isaac is dead set on handing the birthright to Esau, and things are reaching a tipping point, where there would be a point of no return, as far as the human agent can see, for once Isaac blesses whomever, it is a done deal. So, in desperation and frustration there seems to be only one viable option left on the table. Let’s read:
Genesis 27:1 And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, my son: and he said unto him, here I am.
2 And he said, behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death:
3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;
4 And make me savory meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.
5 And Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.
6 And Rebekah spoke unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying,
7 Bring me venison, and make me savory meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the Lord before my death.
8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.
9 Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savory meat for thy father, such as he loveth:
10 And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.
11 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man:
12 My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.
13 And his mother said unto him, upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.
14 And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savory meat, such as his father loved.
15 And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son:
16 And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck:
17 And she gave the savory meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.
18 And he came unto his father, and said, my father: and he said, here am I; who art thou, my son?
19 And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy first born; I have done according as you asked me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.
20 And Isaac said unto his son, how is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the Lord thy God brought it to me.
21 And Isaac said unto Jacob, come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.
22 And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, the voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. (Your gut feeling)
23 And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands, so he blessed him.
24 And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.
25 And he said, bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine and he drank.
26 And his father Isaac said unto him, come near now, and kiss me, my son.
27 And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed:
28 Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:
29 Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curses thee, and blessed be he that blesses thee.
30 And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.
Now let us take a look at the flipside of the coin, in a situation where Rebekah and Jacob decide to wait it out no matter what. In other words, instead of them employing clandestine strategy, they bite the bullet, and decide that come what may, they are going to let God handle the matter, in His own time and way.
If they decide to go the route of open-ended waiting it is quite possible that God might allow Isaac to give Esau the birthright, much to their dismay. Here is where many Christians become frustrated with God, in that he may actually permit time to expire, before doing as He promised.
But if Isaac insisted on blessing Esau, and he actually went through with his plan, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Jacob would not receive it. It just means that he would receive it in another way, at another time.
In fact, when you look at the bigger picture, you will see that by employing stratagem to procure it, Jacob received it prematurely, at a time when he was not ready to receive it. Thus, by taking matters into their own hands, Rebekah and Jacob got something good, before the right time to get it.
God however, gives good gifts at the right time, for if He were to bless prematurely some folks wouldn’t be able to handle or manage the blessing prudently, and in some instances, something good can end up doing more harm than good.
For instance, to give your son or daughter a brand- new car might be a good thing, but if they are not mature enough to handle it, the parents can wind up with more problems than they had catered for, especially if it’s a BMW or a Mercedes. Thus, as we observe what was done by Rebekah and Jacob, with the consequences and results that were to follow, there are at least four critically important points to extract from the narrative:
[1] They actually succeeded in their ploy.
[2] It backfired to some degree, as it most often will.
[3] In most cases, there will be unforeseen negative and adverse effects, with some level of collateral damage, some more, some less.
[4] God’s will ultimately gets done, whether it is the right way, or the wrong way.
Just for the record, Jacob had to run for his life, he was conned on numerous occasions by Laban, and Rebekah never ever saw the face of her favorite son again. In fact, she died without ever seeing Jacob, and he himself could not even attend her funeral to pay his last respects, but they did get the birthright.
The next example is taken from the experiences of king Saul and this one is different, in that he actually gets a specific timeline from God. This time it is not a vague period of waiting, like it was with Rebekah and Jacob, instead, he is told to wait for seven days, and Saul waits, and he waits and waits, even as the situation on the ground rapidly deteriorates before his eyes.
Persons cannot say a word in this instance, because the time-frame came from God, and Saul waits and waits and waits, until Saul finds himself between a rock and a hard place, meaning that the philistines are arrayed in battle, his soldiers are defecting from him at a rate, and Samuel, who promised to come within seven days is nowhere to be found.
So, what do you do when you are given a specific time-frame from God, and it does not pan out? Is it justifiable in instances like these, for persons to reach for an alternative that is contrary to God’s law and His will.
It’s not like you didn’t wait; you did but the specified time comes and goes, and nothing is happening, so, what are you supposed to do in such situations? Do you decide to hunker down and wait indefinitely, as the enemy bears down upon you, or is it high time for you to take matters into your own hands? Let’s read:
1st Samuel 13:5 And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.
6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.
7 And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
8 And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
9 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.
10 And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.
11 And Samuel said, what hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;
12 Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord: I forced myself therefore and offered a burnt offering.
13 And Samuel said to Saul, you have done foolishly: you have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which he commanded thee: for now, would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel forever.
14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.
The next example of being caught between a rock and a hard place is taken from the experience of David, who was anointed by Samuel to be king over Israel. But lo and behold, after the signal defeat of Goliath, the relationship between himself and Saul goes sour, and he finds himself having to constantly look over his shoulders, for fear of being found and executed by Saul.
So, David tries his best to hang in there, hoping for some signal intervention from God that would turn the odds in his favor. But the more David hopes and waits, is the more Saul is on his heels, until David is between a rock and a hard place.
In this hour of desperation, he, like Rebekah decides that it is time to use stratagem, to extricate himself from what he sees as an untenable situation. In this time of extremity, he resorts to lying his way out of his dilemma, for to him, it seems as if God is missing in action. He then goes to the high priest and utters a blatant lie, in order to protect himself. Let’s read:
1st Samuel 21:1 Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why are you alone, and no man with thee?
2 And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, let no man know anything of the business whereof I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.
3 Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present.
Like Rebekah and Jacob, David did get through with plan B, for he got shewbread and he got Goliath’s large sword, that was taken previously in battle, but, just like it was with Rebekah, Jacob, and Saul, there were unforeseen adverse consequences, as there is in most instances, when our faith in God stumbles, and we decide to take alternative routes. Let’s read:
1st Samuel 22:7 Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, you Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;
8 That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that shews me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or shews unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?
9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.
10 And he enquired of the Lord for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.
11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.
13 And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread and a sword and hast enquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?
16 And the king said you shalt surely die Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house.
17 And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the Lord: because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the Lord.
18 And the king said to Doeg, turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.
19 And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.
[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 655] David knew not whither to flee for refuge, except to the servant of God. The young man was in constant fear of discovery, and in his extremity, he resorted to deception. Here he manifested a want of faith in God, and his sin resulted in causing the death of the high priest. God requires that truthfulness shall mark His people even in the greatest peril.
In dealing with this conundrum of being between a rock and a hard place, there are certain things we will have to scratch off as alternatives to doing right, things that will cause us to violate the conscience. We will have to begin, not with what we will do, but with what we must never do.
For the right course of action to pursue we will have to turn to the experience of Jesus in the wilderness, as He too, found Himself between a rock and a hard place, meaning that He was hungry unto death, and He trusts in God The Father to provide whatever He needs, but no food seems to be coming, and satan is there to offer what seems to be a viable alternative.
Should He hunker down, and wait it out indefinitely, even as He is being reduced to bare skin and bones, or is there a point where Jesus would be justified in saying enough is enough. As The Savior confronted crunch time in the wilderness, He too must scratch off things that He will never do, no matter what the cost.
He is not going to eat any bread that is provided in a manner that is contrary to The Father’s will, even if it is whole wheat bread. He would let the chips fall where they may, and in the process, He is prepared to go all the way, even if death is included.
But under no circumstances is Christ going to eat, or provide bread outside of His Father’s will. And He is not going to almost eat bread either. His response is a firm, and non-negotiable no, Period!
When we too, find ourselves between a rock and a hard place, and satan comes peddling alternatives that are contrary to God’s revealed will, like Jesus, we are to say a firm non-negotiable no, and let the chips fall where they may. Let’s read:
[Confrontation pp 55] After Satan had ended his temptations, he departed from Jesus for a little season. The foe was conquered, but the conflict had been long and exceedingly trying, and Christ was exhausted and fainting. He fell upon the ground as though dying.
Heavenly angels who had bowed before Him in the royal courts, now came and ministered unto Him. They prepared Him food and strengthened Him, for He lay as one dead.
The mark of the beast is scheduled to put the saints between a rock and a hard place, and like Jesus, we too will have the promises of God at our backs, but the waiting period for fulfillment might be open- ended in some instances. Let’s read:
Isaiah 33:16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.
The faith of Jesus and the patience of the saints that we read about in Revelation 14, is not your ordinary, or generic type of faith. It is the most radical form of trusting in God with no holds barred, no deadlines, and no ultimatums.
It is that form of faith that when tried, begins with things we must never ever do, even under the most trying and difficult circumstances. In other words, the offer of economic privileges in exchange for beast worship must begin and end with a firm, non-negotiable no.
And like Jesus, we must not almost bow, but should be resolute and unflinching in refusing all incentives to buy or sell under the beast’s system. This will not only call for faith in God, it will also call for practice, because trusting totally in God without reservation does not come overnight, like those packages from Amazon. Let’s read:
[The Great Controversy pp 621] The season of distress and anguish before us will require a faith that can endure weariness, delay, and hunger,—a faith that will not faint, though severely tried. The period of probation is granted to all to prepare for that time.
When in the above statement, the servant of The Lord says: “The period of probation is granted to all to prepare for that time”, she is referring to practice of faith in the various circumstances God permits to come our way from time to time.
There are times when workers may be tempted by their employers, to violate the sacred hours of the Sabbath, and in some cases, where the employee might say a firm no, one’s job might end up on the chopping block.
In such cases, God might deliver, as He often does, but, just in case persons get stuck between a rock and a hard place, know for certain that faith must be tested for tensile strength, before it can survive the rigors of the last days.
Therefore, the Christian must be prepared to suffer loss, if God sees fit, and faith will guide us to trust in His providences, as being the best and the only way forward. Trusting in God should never be viewed as one option amongst many. Instead, it should be the one and only way out.
In harmony with this fact, we will end our discourse with a passage of Scripture that encourages one and all to trust implicitly in God, even as the Bible might not paint a rose picture, or a preferred outcome in all instances. Let’s read:
1st Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory, and of God rests upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part, he is glorified.
16 Yet if any man suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
God Bless!