Why Does God Allow Suffering?

I know the following subject is in many people's mind, especially as we become older and more of an aging church. There is a saying, time waits for no one. And when we wake up, as we get older, there are probably going to be more aches and pains. But then we have the question, why does God allow pain and suffering when we're going through a lot of pain and suffering? And we pray to God, we want it to end. It's a vexing question. Some even become discouraged over it. And so it's always good to be reminded of what the Bible says as best as we understand it. For only God, the Father, and Jesus Christ know it fully. They are in charge. They have the view fully understood. But here, down on earth, we need humility when we cover a subject as this. In fact, not even the angels have all the understanding about this. They are peering down upon this earth and actually around this earth, because they're in it, many of them, and they're looking and they're amazed about what they see because they don't fully know God's plan of salvation nor all the details. We learn this very thing from the scriptures themselves. Let's look in 1 Peter 1. 1 Peter 1 and verse 3.

And it talks about here pain and suffering. One of the reasons Peter explains why we have this. We can read it in verse 3. He addresses God the Father and then Jesus Christ. Notice always God the Father first. It says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. So it's according to God the Father's abundant mercy that He is carrying this out through Jesus Christ to an inheritance, incorruptible and undefiled that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.

So God has that reward that He will bring down here to the earth through His Son Jesus Christ. It says, Who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time? Those that are faithful and God reveals more things as we approach the coming kingdom of God. It says, In this you greatly rejoice in this wonderful truth, being much more, He says, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials.

So we have brethren that were suffering, pain, persecutions, and yet Peter is saying, Don't lose that reward that's up there, reserved for you. He says that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. You will receive that reward when Jesus Christ comes back, whom having not seen you love.

So it's by faith. We know these things are true. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing you rejoice with joy, inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Of this salvation, the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you through the coming of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. And they were trying to fill in the details.

It says, searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ who was in them. So notice Christ was working even in the Old Testament, because it says the Spirit of Christ was in them, was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them, talking about the prophets, it was revealed that not to themselves, but to us. They were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things which angels desire to look into.

So God's revelation is progressive. Some things the prophets did not understand fully, but God has been revealing piece by piece, filling in this huge jigsaw puzzle. And we are part of that group that God is revealing through His Spirit, understanding that plan of salvation and all the points He wants us to understand. One of the most difficult trials we go through has to do with pain and suffering.

We wish it wasn't so. We would like to wake up with a body of a 20-year-old that is temporary. You would still continue to age. You would have to eventually feel those same aches and pains as you get older. And guess what? God has a better way in the end than that. Eventually, to have a body made of spirit that is infinitely better than having a 20-year-old young body. So, let's cover these five principal points in the Bible about the subject of pain and suffering and be able to be encouraged, be able to go over it when we tend to get discouraged over that.

First of all, the first great biblical principle is to go back to see when did it all began with humans? When did it all begin with humans? The subject of pain and suffering.

We don't have to be guessing. We don't have to look in the philosophy book. We can find it right here in the Bible, the answer. It began back in the Garden of Eden. It explains the beginning of pain and suffering, and it starts with sin. Let's look in Genesis chapter 3 verses 8 through 19. This is when God says pain and suffering began for human beings. Genesis 3 verses 8 through 19.

After Eve took of the fruit of the forbidden tree, it says verse 8, and then she gave it to Adam, and Adam took it as well. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Now anybody who's had kids know that when they do something wrong, they hide from their parents. We had that many times. I still remember one of my daughters, don't want to identify her because they get embarrassed, but we had told them about some equipment. We had video equipment that I do some recordings in my room, and we told them, don't touch those buttons because you can damage what's inside, or you can... And guess what? I was in the bathroom, which was right there next to our bedroom, and I had the door shut, and all of a sudden my wife came in, and one of my daughters, sure enough, pushing buttons, getting the video to go in the slot or whatever. And so my wife told my daughter, we told you, don't touch these buttons. And our daughter said, I'm gonna do it anyways. Boy, all that comes out, you know, I'm out here getting all, you know, dressed up, and I said, what did you say to your mother? And she said, oh, oh, it wasn't my mother. You see, there's a parrot right here in that little... we had a stuffed little parrot. No, it was... I was telling the parrot that I was gonna do anything I wanted to, but not my mother. So you can see how human beings they are that way. They can excuse things away, but we didn't allow in our home to have our daughters try to split us. We are always unified when we had to put our foot down on something. But it reminds us here that here, the human beings, they did something wrong. They're hiding from God. And then it says, verse 9, Then the Lord, God, called to Adam and said to him, Where are you? So he said, I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself. And he said, Who told you that you were naked? Certainly God had not taught them because they were the only humans there. This was like their honeymoon suite, which was the Garden of Eden. They didn't have other human beings. And Satan had already contaminated them with the knowledge of evil. And somehow, he started with this old idea that sex is something dirty or something that you should be ashamed about. And in a proper marriage, you have nothing to be ashamed about. But here you can see they took of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And this is what God asked them. Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat? Then the man said, The woman whom you gave to me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate. So he met. Immediately he blamed the other person. It's very human nature, right? No, it was, they were the ones that got me to do this. I really didn't want to do this. It was all up to the other person. And then the Lord said to the woman, What is this that you have done? And the woman, she didn't say, Yes, yes, I made the mistake. No, she said, The serpent! He's the one to blame. He deceived me. So here we have the word deceived that, yes, Satan was able to get her to do the wrong things. And he is called in the Bible, the tempter. He tempts people. And he does it through airways and just transmitting that spirit of rebellion.

And she ate. So the Lord God said to the serpent, Because you have done this, your curse more than all the cattle and more than every beast of the field on your belly, you shall go and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. It's interesting that now, as more anatomy has been studied about these reptiles, these serpents, they have found that they actually do have tiny little limbs that are shrunken. And that's why they move the way they do. But they actually have some of these now very tiny limbs. So it does show that this animal was humbled. And of course, Satan was using that disguise at that time.

And then he says in verse 15, And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed, he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel, talking about the coming of Jesus Christ. So sin was introduced, and God said, I'm going to pay the cost for what man has done, what men and women have done here, the sin and the consequences. And then here's the first introduction of pain and suffering in the Bible. In verse 16, to the woman, he said, I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception. In pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you. So things happened here. First of all, it says that you will greatly multiply the pain, and any woman who's ever had a child knows there's a lot of pain involved. And basically, human beings are the only ones that really suffer a lot of pain. Animals do not have to go through that process. They can just get up, you know, after a little baby calf is born, while the cow gets up, and within a couple of minutes, everything is normal, and the little calf is ready to move on. And so is the mother, but not with human beings. It takes weeks for the mother to recover. Many times the baby's so helpless during that time, they can't do anything unless the mother helps out. And of course, also there was going to be exploitation between men and women. The men were going to rule over them, not normally in a loving way, and so we've seen a lot of abuse. And then to Adam, he talked about pain and suffering that Adam was going to suffer. He said, because you have heeded the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying you shall not eat of it. Cursed is the ground for your sake. In toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Toil means hard work, both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you. So we're going to have poisoners, and we're going to have a lot of vegetables and plants that can harm people very much. Anybody ever stepped on a briar patch? I did once. I tell you, I saw the moon, stars, planets. I mean, I just froze. I stepped on briars with my bare feet, and I basically never felt so much. It must have had a hundred of those little briars in my foot. And so, yes, I know there are going to be thorns and thistles. I've experienced pain and suffering. You think there were these in the Garden of Eden? Not one. There wasn't. If Eve and Adam would have maintained that obedience to God, she could have given forth children without any pain at all. Man would never have to worry about stepping on briars and thistles like we do today. You shall eat the herb of the field and the sweat of your face. You shall eat bread. So it's talking again about pain, suffering, toiling. Anybody who's ever worked out there in a field sometime realize how much you're going to hurt after all of that strenuous work. He says, until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken, for thus you are, and to thus you shall return. So here God describes how men and women were going to die. They did not have access to that tree of life, and they were going to die. And so the cycle of sin and then the sentence of death is pronounced on all of us. We have broken God's laws, and that cycle of life and death is going to happen to us unless Jesus Christ comes before, and then we get to be resurrected instantaneously. But that's still off in the future. We don't know exactly when that's going to happen.

And so we see here the first mention of pain and suffering, and we live in a fallen world. We don't live in the conditions of the Garden of Eden. We live in the conditions of not an Eden world, but an evil world, a world full of dangers and sicknesses and all kinds of diseases that spread from that time on. Notice in Galatians chapter 1 verses 3 and 5. 3 through 5 describes our present world.

Galatians chapter 1, verse 3 through 5, it says, "'Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.'" Notice nothing about the Holy Spirit being a person. It's only addressing here God the Father and Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever.

So we see that from a beautiful garden where there were no diseases, there weren't any types of dangers, no fierce animals that could kill. We left that Edenic world and we came to this hellish world. We were born in it with all kinds of problems, even before our birth. That genetics is all now subject to mutations, to all kinds of things, congenital diseases. And you're not to blame for that. That goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden when man exited Eden and entered this God-forsaken world. And so that's the first thing that we have to understand. People would age, get sick, have accidents, birth defects, infections, and it has been that way since man left Eden. But we have to understand, again, we have a God who is love, who permits this, so there must be a good ending to the story. God's not here to have us be suffering needlessly for no good purpose. And so again, when did all of this begin? It began in the Garden of Eden, but also it reveals there that God is going to do something about it. In Genesis 3.15, we talked about that He's going to bring the Messiah. And so God is love, and there is no darkness in Him. Notice in 1 John chapter 5, 1 John chapter 5. I'm sorry, chapter 1 verse 5.

It reveals God's character. 1 John 1.5 says, This is the message which we have heard from Him, and declare to you that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. Talking about God has never sinned, will never sin, will never have an evil thought in His mind. There is nothing that we can attribute to God that is darkness, that is evil, that is bad.

In chapter 4 of this epistle, chapter 4 verse 8, it describes God's nature. It says, He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. That's repeated in verse 16. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and He who abides in love abides in God and God in Him. That is the principle attribute of God. The term love here comes from the Greek word hagape, which means selfless, outgoing concern for others. I like the way the word study dictionary explains it. This is what it says, quote, with reference to God's love, it is God's willful direction toward man. It involves God doing what He knows is best for man, and not necessarily what man desires. For example, John 3 16 states, for God so loved the world, the term here loved, is the verb hagapao, hagapao. So for God so loved the world that He gave, close quotes. What did He give? Not what man wanted, but what God knew man needed. In other words, His Son to bring forgiveness to man. God knew what we needed more than anything else. There wasn't prosperity or freedom from pain and suffering. No, He knew. We needed a Savior to help us, to rescue us.

So we have to take into account that once they were created, that God had a potential for human beings to one day become God beings. Under God the Father and Jesus Christ. Notice in 1 John chapter 3, we're still here in this epistle, one chapter back. 1 John 3 verses 1 through 3. It says, Behold what manner of love, again, hagapao, the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God. Well, what does children mean? It means part of the family. Those that have children, like we do, well, they're part of our family. And guess what? That's something that God has a family that's growing.

He says, Therefore the world does not know us because it did not know Him. The world doesn't understand the concept of God being a family, of wanting us to be one day part of that family, to share in the powers that God and Jesus Christ have. We will always be under them, but we're going to be sharing the same nature. We're going to be like God, but again, under God the Father and Jesus Christ. Notice what it says in verse two, Beloved, now we are children of God. Those that are baptized, receive God's Spirit. We are incorporated into that family, and we're still human beings, but we are in the process of becoming these God beings. And it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, talking about Jesus Christ, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. We'll have spiritual eyes, just like He has spiritual eyes, and we'll be able to see Him. The word here, like, we will be like Him. Again, the word study dictionary, this term, homoios, from homos, means one and the same. We use this term, for instance, homologous. Something is homologous, it's similar to the other. We have the term homoestasis, which means equal type of environment and temperature. It's the same wherever that's involved. We have homonyms, which again are similar.

So the dictionary says it is like, similar to, it denotes a correspondence in feature, property, or nature. So it corresponds. So we know that God is building this spiritual family, and we don't really have an absolute example of a human being being converted and resurrected. We only have Jesus Christ, who is, in a sense, a bit different. He's the only begotten in this way. But John says, regardless, even if we have never seen this glorified human being, it says that we will be like Christ and that we will be able to see Him in the same way He sees us. So we're going to have similar vision of each other.

So that's the first great principle we need to understand about pain and suffering, God is love, and there is no darkness in Him. This goes back to the point about when did it all begin. So that's the first we wanted to cover. Number two, we have to understand God has a plan of redemption, which means a plan of salvation. Redeem means to rescue someone from what their condition is, bring them back, give them freedom, get rid of his debts, whatever it is, or his sins, in this case. Because God is love, He will solve the problems produced by sin. And He will overcome it. He's willing to pay the price. Notice in Romans chapter 5 verses 8 through 21, again this is a key scripture to see the overarching picture of what this is talking about. Romans 5 verses 8 through 21, it harkens back to the Garden of Eden, what happened there. So start in verse 8. It says, but God demonstrates His own love, hagape, toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than having now been justified, which means be cleared of the charges of sin, by His blood we shall be saved from the wrath through Him. We're not going to be indicted. We're not going to be guilty. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. Christ is up there as our mediator, high priest, making sure that's going to happen. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation, which is you are at peace with God. You don't have any sins that are between you and God. All of that has been cleared out. Verse 12, therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, talking about here Adam, and death through sin, that was the sentence, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned. You see this idea that you're born guilty of Adam's sin is not true. No, you are guilty when you commit that for sin. It says here, because all sinned. For until the law, talking here about at Mount Sinai, sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed where there is no law. Nevertheless, death rained from Adam. Here's very clear what it's talking about to Moses. Moses was at Mount Sinai. So even though people in their ignorance were sinning and doing wrong things, they didn't realize all that was involved. They just knew they died in their sins.

Even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of him who was to come, even if people were decent, law-abiding, trying to do the right thing, they were still sinners and they still died. But free gift is not like the offense, for if by one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. So what he's saying here is, yes, we got caught up in this cycle of life and sin and death. What Jesus Christ did is greater and is going to overcome those consequences. See, it's not even, it's much greater, because that's the way you are going to be part of the God family one day. What he accomplished.

It says, and the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned, talk about Adam, for the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. The free gift Christ freely gave his life, which he was God in the flesh, for our sins. For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one Jesus Christ. So again, we have something greater than what Adam was the first one. He was kind of like the pilot program, that once he went that way, that's the way human beings were naturally going to go. But what Jesus Christ did is greater, and it's going to have a better result. It says, therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one man's righteous act, the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. Here it's very important, not only the Jews or a special group of people, it says, to all people, that what Christ did is a gift that anybody can claim through faith in him, in his sacrifice, in a way of life that he portrayed and he gave us. That is available to all. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one man's obedience many will be made righteous. So there is a good explanation. God was willing to pay the price. He is going to carry it out, and it's all going to work out for good in the end. God has given his stamp of approval and commitment.

In Romans 8, verses 18 and 28, we have the closest we can get to understand the problem of pain and suffering. Romans 8, verse 18, Paul, who certainly suffered a lot of pain and suffering in his life and all he went through, he says, verse 18, for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. So he says, yes, we're going through a lot of difficulties, but guess what? The end result is going to be well worth it. He says that coming glory is so much greater than anything that happens to our bodies in this present life. And then in verse 28, he says, and we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, the word agape. We have to love God as he loves us to those who are called according to his purpose. Now, notice it says it works together for good to those who love God. It says not going to immediately all work together, but in the end result it will all turn out for good. So what we learn here is that suffering and pain, they are relative, they are momentary. They have to do with our lives, but our lives are far more than going through these different types of trials. We know the end result is being in God's kingdom and having no pain or suffering for eternity. We're not going to have these pains and sufferings continually. And we are going to understand a bit through those pains and sufferings what Christ felt. Yes, suffering, humiliation, helplessness. Christ had to learn through those things, and we do too. Christ, it says, learned tremendous lessons by what he suffered. In John 16, verse 33. It says, these things I have spoken to you, talking about his disciples, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. So he says we're going to go through a lot in this world. But he says I have overcome it. It's not going to be permanent what you go through. In Hebrews chapter 5, verse 5, it talks about Christ's sufferings. And guess what? He never suffered the death penalty for sin. He was sinless. He could have simply been resurrected back to divine life, not have anything to suffer. But that was not the purpose of his coming down. Notice in Hebrews chapter 5, verse 5, it says, So also Christ did not glorify himself to become high priest, but it was he who said to him, You are my son. Today I have begotten you. And he also says in another place, You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek, who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplication, talking about Jesus Christ, with the hement cries and tears to him who was able to save him from death and was heard because of his godly fear. Though he was a son, he was a son of God, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered. And having been perfected, he became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him, called by God as high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. And so what did Christ learn? He learned through his obedience about how much it took to do so. And he was whipped and his skin was flayed. It was just hanging and strips. And all the flesh was falling and the blood was pouring. And he suffered that. And being our high priest, he knows when we have pain and suffering. He knows what we're going through. It isn't just something theoretical. He lived it as a human being so he could be a faithful high priest for us.

In 2 Corinthians chapter 4, Paul says we sometimes have to go through sufferings to learn lessons and to learn in this life not to put all our hope in it. In 2 Corinthians 4 verse 8, it says, We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed. We are perplexed but not in despair, persecuted but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed, always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. So sometimes we have to learn. Continuing on, it says in verse 11, For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us but life in you. So we learn a lot about what Christ suffered when we suffer and maintain the faith. In verse 16, it says, Therefore we do not lose heart. We don't become discouraged, even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. So yes, we age. We get aches and pains. But it says here that our spiritual life has to be renewed day by day. We have to maintain our faith. We cannot be discouraged. We have to have the courage and the patience to persevere in the faith and draw closer to God. In verse 17, this is the result of that faith. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Something's being produced, that spiritual character. While we do not look at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen, we know God's kingdom is coming. We're going to be part of that. If we're faithful, it says, for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. Yes, this present world is temporary. This present evil age, it's going to disappear one day, but God's kingdom is not going to disappear. We're all going to one day not have any pain and suffering. Philippians chapter 3, Philippians chapter 3, in verse 10.

Paul again mentions this element of learning from our sufferings. Philippians 3 verse 10, it says that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being conformed to his death if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. So brethren, when we enter the church, we sacrifice a lot. Sometimes it means our family, sometimes jobs, positions, many things. But it says here that whatever we suffer, we're learning to give up things for that coming kingdom of God. We have to sacrifice, and suffering and pain is part of that sacrifice of being faithful, of being patient, not getting desperate, not thinking God's not doing his job. But we know that we are creating that weight of glory. Weight means something that is heavy, that is lasting, that spiritual character.

That takes us to the third point, understanding the vital key of the second resurrection. When we talk about pain and suffering, the world doesn't have a good explanation at all. But we have this missing piece about how babies, many innocent children, can die. They don't really have an explanation. Why God allows that? Well, we know because of the second resurrection, they are not lost. They have not had their chance for salvation. In Revelation 20, verse 6, Revelation 20, verse 6, talks about when that kingdom comes. It says, Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. That's what we are aiming for. That's the promise, the inheritance, that God has promises that is greater than anything any human being has ever been offered. This is the greatest reward and blessing. It says, Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power. You're never going to die. You're never going to suffer pain or anything else. But they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years. Why? Because they know what suffering is about. They're going to be able to comfort others. They're not going to be arrogant and proud and little dictators running around with power in the kingdom of God. No, they're going to be compassionate and loving because they know how hard it is for human beings to overcome their pains and sufferings and the results of sin, of this sinful world that we are all under its effects. In verse 11, it says, Then I saw a great white throne. This is after the thousand-year period ends. And him who sat on it from whose face the earth and heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them. We know it talks about Jesus Christ being the ones who God has given, that responsibility to judge the living and the dead. In verse 12, And I saw the dead, small and great, talking about from tiny little babies. Who knows? Even some that were unborn, we don't know about that, but could include them. They could be because they already have a spirit and man. After conception, they have a spirit and man. So we don't know what happens, but at least we know it says, The small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was open, which is the Book of Life, and the dead were judged according to their works by the things which were written in the books. And so when the Book of Life is open, it means an opportunity to have your name written in that book. It talks about that in the book Philippians 4, verses 2 and 3. It talks about some of the brethren whose names are written in the Book of Life. And so they have an opportunity to be healed no matter what. If somebody's born with all kinds of birth defects, never had a chance in this life, they're going to be here resurrected with a completely healed body, healed mind. They're going to understand God's Word, and they're going to have a chance to have their names written in the Book of Life. Even those of Sodom and Gomorrah, Jesus Christ said, when they come up, they're going to have a chance to repent. Notice in Matthew 11, verse 23 and 24.

It says in verse 23, In you, Capernaum, that's the headquarters that Jesus Christ had at that time, who are exalted to heaven because Jesus Christ did so many miracles there, will be brought down to Hades, or the grave. For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. They would have repented. They would have taken into account Jesus' miracles, and they would not have been destroyed like they were. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you. So it's a day of judgment at that time. An evaluation. They're going to have a chance to give account and know the truth of God. Notice in one chapter over, chapter 12, verse 42. Here we have another generation of people who died coming up in the day of judgment. Verse 42, the queen of the south, talking about the queen of Sheba, will rise up in the judgment with this generation. So we see the small and great. Here's one who was a great personage in olden days. The queen of Sheba. She's going to be resurrected.

And with this generation, the present generation there of Christ's day, and condemn it. For she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. So Christ here is the Son of God. He is God in the flesh, and yet they rejected him. So understanding the Second Resurrection helps us to realize why there's pain and suffering of people that were born in the wrong place at the wrong time, with the wrong type of defects. But you see, they will have a day of opportunity to be in God's kingdom as well. So what can we do? Let's focus on what can we do if we're having pain and suffering. I think a good principle is found in Ecclesiastes 9 verses 7 through 12, where it talks about whatever your hand finds a do, do it with your might. Do what you can to restore your health. I'd like to read it from the contemporary English version. From 7 to 12 here it says, Be happy and enjoy eating and drinking. God decided long ago that this is what you should do. Dress up, comb your hair, and look your best. Life is short, and you love your wife. So enjoy being with her. That applies to the wife. Enjoy being with your husband. This is what you are supposed to do as you struggle through life on this earth. Work hard at whatever you do. You will soon go to the world of the dead, where no one works, or thinks, or reasons, or knows anything. In other words, unconsciousness. Here is something else I have learned. The fastest runners and the greatest heroes don't always win races and battles. Wisdom, intelligence, and skill don't always make you healthy, rich, or popular. We each have our share of bad luck. None of us know when we might fall victim to a sudden disaster and find ourselves like fish in a net or birds in a trap. And so these are true things. God has not guaranteed all of us to live to be 100 years old. That's not part of the contract. And this is a short-term life. It's not the final step. He's concerned about our coming resurrection and being in His kingdom. Now, we should do what we can physically. If we have a serious disease, we should also go to the elders of the church, as it tells us in James 5, verse 14. Sometimes I wonder if God put this because He could easily have said, well, you're sick. Go to God as Jesus Christ. But that's not what He says. Notice in verse 14 of James 5, He says, There's anyone among you sick. Let him call for the elders of the church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

And so this is the principle that He wants us to work in the church. Do your thing properly. Don't rely on your own self. Just go to the elders. Recognize they have a position and a responsibility. Use them properly. Don't try to do things your own way. I've known people that try to anoint themselves because they said, well, I don't need a minister. I'll anoint myself. Well, that's not what God says. See, we all to work as a team and to respect the different positions. In Psalm 33, this is a good song when we're sick and we need God to intervene. Psalm 33.

Starting in verse 13.

This has so much wisdom in it. Many times we don't cover some of these scriptures that really we need to meditate on more. Psalm 33 verse 13 says, The Lord looks from heaven. He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling, He looks on all inhabitants of the earth. He fashions their hearts individually. He considers all their works. So individually, He's looking at us. He considers our actions, our attitudes.

And then He says, you think the powerful have the last word? No. He says God has the last word about the powerful. He says, no king is saved by the multitude of an army. A mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety. Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength. It says God has the last word. There have been huge armies that have been defeated by small armies when it seemed like everything was lost and it wasn't. God has the last word.

Verse 18, Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, who deeply respect Him, who tremble, and who really take Him seriously, on those who hope in His mercy to deliver their soul from death and to keep them alive in famine. The last point, the fifth, about pain and suffering is to learn to be compassionate. We always see people that are in worse shape than we are. Just visit some hospitals, some places of hospice care. You're going to be very thankful you're not in some of those conditions.

1 Corinthians 12, verse 22. 1 Corinthians 12, verse 22. It says, No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. So God puts people that have all kinds of physical problems, diseases in the church, and those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor, and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need.

In other words, people that are healthy and wealthy and wise, they don't need that. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body. But that members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. Or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ and members individually. So we should always be thinking about those that need prayers, need encouragement, and not only in words, but also in actions.

Remember, to those that love God to the end, it will all work out for good. And we know some are taken because God foresees certain things we can. Isaiah 57, verse 1 and 2.

We're finishing the sermon now. Isaiah 57, verses 1 and 2. It says, The righteous perishes, and no man takes it to heart. Merciful men are taken away, while no one considers that the righteous is taken away from evil. He shall enter into peace. They shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness. So we don't know what the future holds for certain people, but we know God's in charge. In Colossians chapter 1, let's go there. We just have one more other scripture before we end.

Colossians 1, 15. This is a scripture that I have, again, learned some insight, learned a bit more about it than before. Maybe you knew this. I didn't have it that clear before. Colossians chapter 1, verse 15, talking about Jesus Christ, says, He is the image of the invisible God.

The word image is like you would have the wax on a mold. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn overall creation. It explains what that means a little further down. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible. It means also angels there, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. He even created Lucifer. All things were created through Him and for Him.

And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. So all things were created through Jesus Christ and for Jesus Christ. We were created for Jesus Christ to have that fellowship with Him. God the Father created that, and so it's not just by Him, but it's for Him. So it's a wonderful concept. So let's finish in Revelation 21, verse 3. Revelation 21, verse 3, talks about the New Jerusalem.

And it says here, when God the Father comes back, it says, And I heard a loud voice from heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Then He said, He who sat on the throne, Talk about God the Father, said, Behold, I make all things new.

And He said to me, Right, for these words are true and faithful. And then, verse 7, He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be His God, and He shall be my Son. So we've seen in the book of Genesis, it begins with revealing pain and suffering came as a result of sin way back then, and revelation ends with a solution and the elimination of pain.

So brethren, let's be encouraged, have faith, be patient, develop that godly character, and look long-range in that coming kingdom where there will be no pain or suffering anymore for the saints of God.