Who suffers together with the righteous?
(Genesis 22:1-19; Hosea 2:1-13; 2 Cor. 11:23-29) Blog July 24-30, 2022
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: God leads his children into trials and among enemies, not to discourage or defeat them but rather to strengthen them. Even Jesus learned obedience by the things which he suffered. In our trials, God comforts us and supplies us with the food of his Word, the grace of his Spirit, and the blood of Jesus. It is God’s desire to transform us into the image of his Son.
Abraham
1. After calling Abraham to leave his home and family, testing his faith concerning a promised heir, bringing him through the double loss of Sarah to foreign rulers, and wrenching Ishmael from his care, what further test did God bring to Abraham? God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only begotten son, Isaac, on Mount Moriah (Gen. 22:1-2).
2. What was Abraham’s response to God’s command to offer Isaac? Abraham obeyed God’s command & prepared the wood & made the journey to Moriah (Gen. 22:3).
3. What do we learn about Abraham’s priorities when he lifted the knife to slay his son, Isaac? Abraham placed obedience to God above human logic (Gen. 22:12; James 2:21-22).
4. What kind of extreme suffering did Abraham experience during the three day’s journey to Moriah? Abraham experienced severe mental suffering while taking Isaac to Mount Moriah (Gen. 22:7-8).
5. How did Abraham cope with his extreme suffering while travelling to Moriah? Abraham coped with his extreme mental suffering by reminding himself of God’s loving nature, generous provisions, unchangeable promises, & omnipotent power: for he told Isaac that God would provide a sacrifice, he told the servants that he & Isaac would both return, & he believed God could raise the promised seed from the dead (Gen. 22:5, 8; Heb. 11:17-19).
6. Besides being a demonstration and a strengthening of his faith, what other great benefit did Abraham receive from his Mount Moriah experience? Abraham got a clearer picture of God’s love & the sacrifice he was making in giving his only begotten Son for the sins of the world & of the truth that he would raise him from the dead (John 8:56; 1 John 4:9-10).
7. Is it likely that we will ever experience more mental anguish than Abraham did on the road to Moriah? It is not likely (1 Cor. 10:13).
Hosea
8. What special calling did God have for the prophet Hosea? God called Hosea to prophesy against unfaithful Israel, showing them their sin, not only in word but in visual demonstration (Hos. 1:2).
9. How was Hosea to visually demonstrate to Israel their unfaithfulness to God? God told Hosea to take a prostitute for a wife who would be unfaithful to him while going after many lovers (Hos. 2:1-2).
10. What should we learn about suffering from Hosea’s experience? When God has a special mission for one of his children it often involves suffering to carry it out (like going to a foreign mission field) (Jer. 29:19; Zech. 1:4; Matt. 23:34).
11. What kind of suffering did Hosea bring on unfaithful Gomer to turn her from all her adulteries? Hosea told his children to rebuke their mother for her adulteries & warn her of a possible divorce & abandonment. Then Hosea blocked the way to her lovers, stopped providing her food & clothing, & revealed her foolishness to all her lovers bringing an end to all her parties (Hos. 2:1-13).
12. Why did Hosea inflict such suffering on Gomer? Hosea loved Gomer & desired her best good/ That’s why he tried to hedge up her way to do evil, just as God does ours (Heb. 12:5-8; Rev. 3:19).
13. How can we avoid the kind of suffering that came to Gomer? By being faithful to God & to our spouse we can avoid the kind of suffering inflicted on the unfaithful (Prov. 5:1-14; 1 Pet. 4:15).
Paul
14. What New Testament character experienced extreme suffering like Job in the Old Testament? The Apostle Paul experienced extreme suffering (2 Cor. 11:23-29; Phil. 3:8).
15. Who especially desired to hurt Job and Paul? Satan especially directs his attacks against God’s greatest witnesses for righteousness (Job 2:3-5; Eze. 14:14; 2 Cor. 12:7; 2 Tim. 3:12).
16. Above all the physical suffering that Job and Paul experienced, what concerned them most? Both Job & Paul were most concerned with the deportment of their brethren in the church (Job 16:1-5; 2 Cor. 11;28-29).
17. Who suffers together with the righteous when they suffer? God, himself suffers when his people suffer (Isa. 63:9; Zech. 2:8; Acts 9:4).
18. What does God do for his children when they suffer? God comforts his children when they suffer (Psa. 23:4; Isa. 43:1-7; 2 Cor. 1:3-4).
19. According to 2 Corinthians, what benefit comes from suffering? Paul says that we become more equipped to comfort others because God comforts us in all our afflictions. So, besides driving us to God in prayer, increasing our faith, & perfecting our character, suffering helps us to better comfort others who are suffering (2 Cor. 1:3-4).