(“When Adversity Strikes”)

Ecclesiastes 7:8-14 (NASU)

“In the day of prosperity be happy, but in the day of adversity consider – God has made the one as well as the other so that man will not discover anything that will be after him.” (Ecclesiastes 7:14)

13"But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you."

(John 16:13-14)

(A) A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF

(2) This partially explains why the writing style used by the author has such a “disjointed feel”² to it compared to most other Old Testament books. Sometimes it seems like every verse contains a different thought, although a closer examination often reveals this is not the case. Don’t be surprised, though, if this morning’s Scripture lesson feels like it “lacks continuity”.

(3) King Solomon is traditionally thought to be the author of Ecclesiastes. This has been challenged in more recent times. However, two pieces of evidence in favor of Solomon’s authorship are hard to overcome … one is the fact Scripture says God gave Solomon “a wise and discerning heart” unlike anyone before or since (c.f. I Kings 3:12) … and the other is that the opening verse of Ecclesiastes says this book contains “the words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem” (c.f. Ecclesiastes 1:1), which is an accurate description of who Solomon was.

(4) Finally, the theme or purpose of the Book of Ecclesiastes is to encourage God’s people to “fear (Him) and keep His commandments” (c.f. Ecclesiastes 12:13), even though His ways are often hard to understand – like in today’s text where we’re told that the days of prosperity AND the days of adversity both come from the Lord’s hand (c.f. Ecclesiastes 7:14).

(B) IT CAN STRIKE WITHOUT WARNING

(1) “It can strike without warning. One moment our world is a placid cove of tranquility – the next it resembles a raging sea. Massive waves of emotional turmoil sweep through our heart – hurricane-force winds tear at the protective barriers of our mind.

Had we known it was coming, we might have been able to brace ourselves – but adversity rarely calls ahead to announce its arrival. More often than not, it attacks suddenly through trials, heartaches, or emotional setbacks. Adversity hands out pink slips at the office – delivers untimely news of a loved one’s death – exposes the crushing truth about a mate’s betrayal – drives home the sudden reality of a terminal illness to our unsuspecting heart – or slaps us in the face with the attacks of those who hate us and/or disagree with us.

None of us know how or when adversity will come – yet we should know that at some point (indeed, probably numerous times during the course of our life) we will be tested by adversity. Hence, the question is not WILL adversity strike, or even WHEN, but are we prepared to handle it when it does?”³

(2) The Hebrew word translated “adversity” (“raah” or “ra”) in this morning’s text refers to situations that are “evil” in the sense of being unpleasant, and/or in the sense of causing “misery, distress or injury”. Depending on the translation, Bible synonyms include words like “affliction”, “calamity”, “disaster”, “misfortune”, “pain”, and “trouble”.⁴

For example, the psalmist said: “O Lord, the God of my salvation … incline Your ear to my cry! For my soul has had enough troubles (i.e. enough adversity)” (c.f. Psalm 88:1-3). In the Book of Nehemiah, the remnant left behind after everyone of prominence and importance had been taken into captivity are described as being “in great distress (i.e. great adversity)” (c.f. Nehemiah 1:3). In the Book of Obadiah, the people of Edom are warned not to “gloat over (Israel’s) calamity (i.e. their adversity) in the day of their disaster” (c.f. Obadiah 1:13).

(3) Job is a good example of someone who suddenly faced wave after wave of adversity (c.f. James 5:11).

First, the Sabeans stole his oxen and donkeys. Then lightening killed his sheep. Next, news reached his ears that the Chaldeans had run off his camels. Furthermore, in each instance there was the added calamity of learning every servant caring for these animals had been killed, save one (c.f. Job 1:13-17).

The fourth wave of adversity may have been the worst. For while Job was still trying to absorb all this bad news about the death his servants and the loss of his wealth, word came his ten sons and daughters had been killed when the house they were in collapsed during a violent storm (c.f. Job 1:18-19).

Surely this was enough adversity for one man to bear – especially someone like Job whom Scripture says was “blameless (and) upright, fearing God and turning away from evil” (c.f. Job 1:1). But NO … there were at least two more waves to come … for we’re told Job himself was struck with “sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head” (c.f. Job 2:7). And then, on top of everything else, his wife, who was undoubtedly affected by these sudden reversals of fortune as much as Job, told him he should just “curse God and die” (c.f. Job 2:9).

However, Job’s response to these unrelenting waves of adversity was very different from his wife’s. Many people remember what he said in chapter one: “the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord” (c.f. Job 1:21). I suspect fewer people remember what he said in chapter two: “Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” (c.f. Job 2:10).

The fact is, most of us will happily take whatever prosperity comes our way -- but there aren’t very many who are willing recipients of adversity.

(C) FOUR FACTS ABOUT ADVERSITY

(1) There are at least four things every Christian should know about adversity. First, no one is going to escape. None of us are going to get through life unscathed. Sooner or later we WILL face adversity … what's more, we will almost certainly face numerous adverse circumstances before our journey is over.

(a) The Book of Job says: “man is born for trouble, as sparks fly upward” (c.f. Job 5:7) … and Job himself said: “Man, who is born of woman, is short-lived and full of turmoil” (c.f. Job 14:1).

Jesus said: “Each day has enough trouble of its own” (c.f. Matthew 6:34b) … while in another place He said: “In the world you (will) have tribulation” (c.f. John 16:33).

Elsewhere, David said he had been “walk(ing) in the midst of trouble” (c.f. Psalm 138:7a) … while in another place he prayed for relief from his adversity, saying: “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. Look upon my affliction and my trouble” (c.f. Psalm 25:16-18).

(b) The point, which needs no further elaboration, is this – adversity is unavoidable. It doesn’t matter who we are, where we live, how powerful we are, or how much money we have … apart from Christ, nothing in this life can shield us from adversity. Augustine once said: “God had one Son without sin, but never one without suffering.”⁵ Hence, only a man full of himself, and/or devoid of any real spiritual discernment, would ever say what the wicked are quoted as saying in the Tenth Psalm: “I shall never be in adversity” (c.f. Psalm 10:6b).

(c) That being the case, we would be wise to make use of every means of grace the Lord gives us to prepare for this inevitable eventuality.

(2) Second, adversity ultimately comes from the Lord. Although He often works through secondary causes, like Satan, as exemplified in the Book of Job, He always takes ultimate responsibility for whatever comes our way.

(a) Many find this hard to believe. Even some Christians are repulsed by idea that a good and loving God could be responsible for the trouble, misery, and/or distress that comes into people’s lives.

(b) And yet, Scripture is very straightforward about this. Look at this morning’s text: “In the day of prosperity be happy, but in the day of adversity consider – God has made the one as well as the other” (c.f. Ecclesiastes 7:14). How can we read a verse like that and not say God is ultimately responsible for adversity?!

Nor is this an isolated example. Job understood where adversity came from when he asked his wife: “Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity (i.e. adversity from God)?” (c.f. Job 2:10) … furthermore, at the end of the book, after the Lord began to restore Job’s fortunes, we’re told his brothers and sisters “consoled him and comforted him for all the adversities that the Lord had brought on him” (c.f. Job 42:11).

(c) I confess I don’t fully understand how God can be responsible for adversity and remain holy and just … but then, there are lots of things about God I don’t understand. Nor is that going to change anytime soon – for the Scripture says His thoughts and His ways are far higher than mine – higher even than the heavens are above the earth (c.f. Isaiah 55:8-9).

Fortunately, my ability to understand how all this works isn’t what determines whether or not it’s true. I don’t understand how electricity works, either; but that doesn’t stop me from using it. God’s inspired word is the standard of truth … and His word says He has not only made the day of prosperity, but also “the day of adversity” (c.f. Ecclesiastes 7:14)!

Elsewhere, Scripture says “the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction” (c.f. Isaiah 30:20, NKJV) … and again: “I am the Lord, and there is no other, the One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these (things)” (c.f. Isaiah 45:6-7) … and once more, “If a calamity occurs in a city has not the Lord done it?” (c.f. Amos 3:6b).

Furthermore, the Lord’s sovereignty over adversity is reflected in other passages – like John chapter nine, where the disciples asked Jesus whether a certain man had been born blind because of his parents’ sin or his own – and Jesus replied: “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him” (c.f. John 9:1-3). In other words, it was God who caused him to be born blind (c.f. Exodus 4:11) –so that, in this instance at least, Jesus would be glorified by miraculously restoring his sight!

(d) In order to have an accurate understanding of who God is (not complete, but accurate), we must accept the biblically supported fact that He is not only responsible for the days of prosperity we all enjoy, but also for “the day(s) of adversity” we all find unpleasant (c.f. Ecclesiastes 7:14).

(3) Third, adversity always serves a divine purpose, especially for Christ’s redeemed people. I’m not saying we always know what that purpose is – actually, we may never know this side of heaven – but at least we always know there is one. This fact led the psalmist to write: “I know, O Lord, that … in faithfulness You have afflicted me” (c.f. Psalm 119:75).

(a) Sometimes WE are the secondary cause of our own adversity because of our sinful behavior, and/or our sinful words. In such instances, the trouble we bring on ourselves can have a purifying and/or correcting effect (c.f. Hebrews 12:11). Hence, the psalmist said, not once but twice: “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word” … and again: “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes” (c.f. Psalm 119:67, 71).

(b) Sometimes adversity is the training ground where-by we are equipped to minister to others. Hence, Paul told the Corinthians: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (c.f. II Corinthians 1:3-4).

(c) Sometimes our adversities are really blessings in disguise. A certain missionary serving a remote outpost became seriously ill. To add to her troubles, the paycheck she was expecting didn’t arrive on time and she was forced to live on a diet of oatmeal and canned milk for thirty days. During this time she felt as though the Lord wasn’t treating her right. But, in spite of everything she recovered, and eventually her check came and she was able to get some normal food. During her next furlough she shared her ordeal with a supporting church. Afterwards, a doctor in the audience came up to inquire further into the nature of her illness. After hearing the facts, he told her: “If your check had arrived on time you might not be talking to me today, because the diet we normally prescribe for the digestive ailment you had is 30-days of oatmeal.”⁶

(d) The point, which I will not try and illustrate further, is this – since the Lord is ultimately responsible for the adversities that come into our life, we can be sure they are not random, meaningless events – we can be sure there is always a wise and holy purpose behind them. As that familiar verse found in Romans chapter eight says: “we know God causes all things to work together for good to those who love (Him), to those who are called according to His purpose” (c.f. Romans 8:28). It’s the same assurance Joseph had when he told his brothers: “you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive” (c.f. Genesis 50:20).

(4) Finally, if the previous statements are true (as I believe they are!), then we Christians should accept adversity without complaint. (a) When I say “without complaint” I mean without grumbling or griping … without accusing God of being unfair or unjust … and/or without assuming a prideful attitude that says, “I don’t deserve this”, or “This shouldn’t be happening to me”.

(b) I don’t mean we should be stoic or silent – or that we shouldn’t plead with the Lord for relief, like we saw David do earlier in Psalm Twenty-Five (c.f. Psalm 25:16-18) – or even voice our bewilderment at the adversity that's come upon us, as he did in another psalm, saying in part: “I cry aloud with my voice to the Lord … I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare my trouble before Him” (c.f. Psalm 142:1-2).

(c) But there is a line we need to guard against crossing – a line some who followed Moses out of Egypt did cross when they said things like: “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilder-ness! Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt? … Let us appoint a leader and return" (c.f. Numbers 14:2-4). Hence, we read in another place that “the people became like those who complain of adversity in the hearing of the Lord; and when the Lord heard it, His anger was kindled” (c.f. Numbers 11:1).

I would also remind you that the New Testament warns us NOT to “try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written (down) for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (c.f. I Corinthians 10:9-11) – i.e. that we might not make the same sinful mistakes they made!

(d) Besides, if it’s true (and it is!) that our God and Savior is holy, and good, and righteous, and just … if it’s true (and it is!) that He is working all things (even THE adverse things) for our good … if it’s true (and it is!) that all adversity ultimately comes from the hand of the Lord … if it’s true (and it is!) that any adversity we face has a divine purpose … then we need to seriously ask ourselves, “What do I have to complain about?!” As the psalmist said: “Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God” (c.f. Psalm 43:5).

I know (from personal experience) this is easier to say than do. But consider this, how will we ever learn from adversity – how will we ever grow from adversity – how will ever learn not to whine and complain about adversity, unless we keep reminding ourselves that according to the Scriptures we really don’t have anything to complain about!?

(D) GRACE TO HELP WHEN ADVERSITY STRIKES

(1) No one knows when adversity will strike. None of us can be sure when the days of prosperity will turn to days of adversity, or vice versa.⁷ That’s essentially what Solomon meant in the last part of verse fourteen when he said, “God has made the one as well as the other so that man will not discover anything that will be after him” (c.f. Ecclesiastes 7:14). However, there are some things we can do now to help us deal with adversity when it does comes – things we can treasure up in our heart now (as it were) (c.f. Psalm 119:11) that will help make the adverse experiences of life fruitful experiences.⁸

(2) First, we need to believe God is sovereign and that His hand is in whatever adversity we are facing.⁸ Thomas Boston, who died in 1732, said: “consider it as the work of your God in Christ. This is the way to sprinkle it with gospel-grace, and so make it tolerable. Discerning your Father’s hand in adversity will take much of the bitterness out of it, and will sugar the pill to you. For this cause, it will be necessary to solemnly take God for YOUR God under adversity. And in all your encounters with it, resolutely believe and claim your interest in Him.”⁹

(3) Second, we need to believe God is good.⁸ Again, Thomas Boston said: “Consider adversity as being the work of your God, the work of your Father, elder Brother, Head, and Husband, who, therefore, surely desires your good. Consider His holiness and justice, which shows He will do you no wrong. Consider His mercy and goodness, which shows He has your best interests in view.”⁹

(4) Third, we need to believe God is teaching us something and/or doing something good in our life. Perhaps He’s correcting some sin, preventing us from pursuing an inadvisable course of action, molding our character to be more Christ’s,⁸ and/or preparing us for heaven by weaning us away from the world.⁹ Elizabeth Elliot, who knows a thing or two about adversity, once said: “Our vision is so limited we can hardly imagine a love that does not protect us from suffering. The love of God did not protect His own Son – and He will not protect us, at least not from anything that will make us like His Son. However, that will require a lot of hammering and chiseling and purifying by fire before the process is complete.”¹⁰

(5) Paul faced adversities of all kinds during the course of his service to Christ. At one point, he asked for relief from one in particular. The Lord said “no” … however, that’s not all He said … He also said: “My grace is sufficient for you, for (My) power is perfected in (your) weakness" (c.f. II Corinthians 12:9). In other words, “I will be glorified through your weakness – I will be glorified through your suffering – I will be glorified by the way I enable you to handle adversity.”

Beloved, always remember – the goal is NOT to be free from adversity, the goal IS to glorify Jesus Christ in everything we do, everything we say, everything we are called upon to go through, including adversity (c.f. I Corinthians 10:31). Remember, too, that His grace is always sufficient! Therefore, we ought to always avail ourselves of it.

Literature; p. 922.

p. 570.