This is part 2 of 3 of Lesson 3. Click here to go back to the introduction to Lesson 3 The Bird Cage.
And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” Luke 7:19 NKJV
In the last section, What’s Going On, we talked about the situation of John the Baptist while in jail, and why Jesus didn’t intervene to save him.
In many ways this is a parallel to our own problems. We might have been previously part of God’s mighty works, but under personal strain, we question God’s ways toward us.
For this reason it’s worth having a closer look at John’s case. Consider the following quote from The Desire of Ages p 224 (Ellen White). It’s a bit long, but worth the effort to go through….
In the temptation in the wilderness, Satan had been defeated, and his rage was great. Now he determined to bring sorrow upon Christ by striking John. The One whom he could not entice to sin he would cause to suffer.
Jesus did not interpose to deliver His servant. He knew that John would bear the test. Gladly would the Saviour have come to John, to brighten the dungeon gloom with His own presence. But He was not to place Himself in the hands of enemies and imperil His own mission. Gladly would He have delivered His faithful servant. But for the sake of thousands who in after years must pass from prison to death, John was to drink the cup of martyrdom. As the followers of Jesus should languish in lonely cells, or perish by the sword, the rack, or the fagot, apparently forsaken by God and man, what a stay to their hearts would be the thought that John the Baptist, to whose faithfulness Christ Himself had borne witness, had passed through a similar experience!
Satan was permitted to cut short the earthly life of God’s messenger; but that life which “is hid with Christ in God,” the destroyer could not reach. Col. 3:3. He exulted that he had brought sorrow upon Christ, but he had failed of conquering John. Death itself only placed him forever beyond the power of temptation. In this warfare, Satan was revealing his own character. Before the witnessing universe he made manifest his enmity toward God and man.
Though no miraculous deliverance was granted John, he was not forsaken. He had always the companionship of heavenly angels, who opened to him the prophecies concerning Christ, and the precious promises of Scripture. These were his stay, as they were to be the stay of God’s people through the coming ages. To John the Baptist, as to those that came after him, was given the assurance, “Lo, I am with you all the days, even unto the end.” Matt. 28:20, R. V., margin.
This quote is interesting because it lists a couple of key insights into suffering.
- It appears that Satan caused this episode to bring suffering to John and Jesus
- Jesus would have liked to have saved John, but didn’t intervene for a couple of reasons:
- It would have put His own mission at risk for reasons which are not clearly outlined in this passage
- He wanted John to be an example for others to take comfort from in the millenia to come
- He knew John would bear this trial.
- He knew the angels would be giving John comfort and reassurance
Now these reasons don’t explain why Jesus doesn’t intervene in other cases where being an example for others is not an issue.
We’ll have a look at other cases in the next section: God – Why don’t You intervene?
For now, I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts on this…
