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The Day Doubt Is Removed

SERIES: Even These Believed #5 of 5

2007-04-01

PRODUCTION #: 1045

SPEAKER: Shawn Boonstra

Every now and then, a prison door opens, and a man walks out who lost 20 years of his life because he was wrongfully convicted. And sometimes the release comes from Death Row, where an unlucky inmate—or lucky, depending on how you look at it—literally comes within minutes of facing the death penalty.

Every one of us is thankful when the miracle of DNA testing intervenes and sets an innocent man free. And we rejoice when the same DNA testing puts a guilty man behind bars—because what we really long for is that someone finally gets it right. That justice actually prevails. That someone finally clears up all the questions, and puts together all the loose ends. What we really want is the truth.

So here's the big question: Will there ever come a time when God will finally clear up all the questions about him? Is he going to have his day in court, so that all the doubts and questions the human race has collected are finally answered?

You know, I'm sure we could all go on the Internet and post our favorite stories about how unfair the world is. But instead of telling you some of mine, let me tell you one that took place a few hundred years ago.

It was the mid-1700s in the French city of Toulouse—a time when the established church enjoyed almost absolute control. In those days, if you decided to join the ranks of Luther and Calvin, there were a few things you couldn't do.

You couldn't be a lawyer, for example, or a physician. And it was forbidden to operate a pharmacy, be a grocer, have a bookstore, or make a living as a printer. In fact, it was even against the law to have a Protestant servant if you were a member of the Catholic Church.

Now, during that time, a Frenchman named Jean Calas, suffered two misfortunes in a row. First of all, his daughter decided to leave the Catholic faith and become a Protestant. And as if that wasn't bad enough, his son, despondent over some business failures, hanged himself. And to make matters even worse, in that time, when church and state were so intertwined, the city had a law stating that any person who committed suicide: "Should be placed naked on a hurdle [or sled], with face down, drawn thus through the streets, and then hanged on a gibbet [gallows]."

Can you imagine the shame for this grieving father? It would be almost too much to bear, so you can understand what happened next. Desperate to preserve the tiniest spark of family dignity, he began quietly begging his relatives and close friends to help him with a cover-up. "Please tell them my son died of natural causes," he pleaded. And so they did.

The problem was that the cure was worse than the disease. Rumors spread through the city that instead of a suicide, there had been a murder. Not only had his daughter apostatized to the Protestant religion, but his son had been considering it as well. So, the father must have killed his own boy.

Well, it didn't take long until the authorities came and arrested him. They threw him in prison and tortured him ruthlessly. Jean Calas ended up dying in chains in the year 1761. And his family—at least what was left of it—gathered up their possessions and fled to another town.

There they met a man whose name has become infamous—the brilliant, sensitive Voltaire. Now at this point, Voltaire was not an atheist, but he already expressed a deep skepticism about the established church and its pompous, inquisitorial nature. The story of Monsieur Calas was the last straw. It helped establish Voltaire's doubts.

All his life, he believed there was some "guiding force" or impersonal creative power "out there" somewhere. In his writings he called it a "great Intelligence" or a "general Providence." But the abuses in the church robbed him of his faith, and when priests blamed God for the Lisbon earthquake of 1755, that was just one more nail in his coffin.

And really, what Voltaire needed was an opportunity to sit down at a table across from God and ask some direct questions.

"God, why is it you stand aside while people suffer and die?"

"Why don't you seem to answer our prayers?"

"God, when the church commits atrocities in your name, why don't you do something about it?"

All around the world, atheists and skeptics point to the pain we live with as proof there is no God: such as earthquakes, wars, and multiple hurricanes slamming into Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi. And even worse, into the shacks and shantytowns of Haiti.

And the non-believer says, "Either a loving God sees all this and doesn't care, or He is simply powerless to do anything. Either way, these tragedies prove than an omniscient, omnipotent God simply doesn't exist."

Atheists have also wrestled with the age-old question of Genesis, chapter one, versus the theory of evolution. Why does carbon dating seem to reveal a very old earth when the history described in the Bible is much shorter? Again, wouldn't it be wonderful if they could ask God directly?

And then there are the questions that come when finite religious students read the words found in an infinite document called the Holy Bible. There are passages that are obscure and things that don't seem to make sense. There are verses that are going to reconcile with the realities of the world around us.

If God is love, why didn't he keep Osama bin Laden from killing all those people? And why didn't He heal your sister's cancer? And what good is omnipotent power if you're not wiling to use it?

I remember a line going back to the 1992 American presidential race, when the challenger said: "Mr. President, if you are not willing to use your presidential powers to help people, then step aside. Because I will."

I wonder—how many people have wanted to say that to God?

In his wonderful book, The Bible Jesus Read, Philip Yancey writes about the cosmic cries of God's Old Testament heroes.

"Psalms gives examples," Yancey writes, "of 'ordinary' people struggling mightily to align what they believe about God with what they actually experience."

He quotes from theologian Martin Marty, who describes a good 50 percent of the book of Psalms as "wintry." Meaning they are full of hard, blunt questions directed at God.

As in: "What in the world are you doing up there?"

King David almost calls down curses from heaven, wishing God would crack the jaws of all his enemies. But where is the promised help? Why the unfairness? Why do bad people prosper?

In a candid moment, Yancey admits that he learned from reading the Psalms the spiritual discipline of going for long walks and just kind of "shouting" at God. Now, he does it respectfully, I'm sure, but he asks God the hard questions and lets Him know about his own hurts and heartaches.

Which brings me to some really good news. Even when we are shouting and doubting, God still loves us. It's not that He thinks our doubts are wonderful, it's just that He knows what we are made of.

Jesus didn't love it when Thomas had doubts, but He still loved him. I'm sure Jesus would have rather had Thomas remember His promises, and accept the sworn testimony like the other disciples, but he didn't. And at that moment, as Thomas struggles to believe, Jesus is very gentle with him.

But the news gets even better. According to the Bible, there is coming a time when God will step into the galactic courtroom and take the witness stand; and at that moment, God Himself will be judged.

Just imagine—the Creator is willing to put Himself on trial. He is willing to be scrutinized by mere mortals. And that takes us to the book of Revelation, where we find a startling description of last-day events.

The Second Coming of Jesus is announced in chapter 19, where it is written (Revelation 19:11 NKJV):

"Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war."

The Bible calls Jesus "faithful and true." And it says that the war He's been waging on sin and suffering is righteous. But He doesn't expect you to just take His word for it. When we finally get to heaven, the Bible says there will come a time when God will give us the rare privilege of asking all the questions.

Listen to what it was in Revelation, Chapter 20 (Revelation 20:12 NKJV):

"And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books."

Now let me unpack that for you a little bit. Without getting into all the details, this passage talks about a special moment when we will open the books and consider the names of those who are not there in the kingdom of heaven. And at that moment, God will answer all our questions.

Why did it seem like He ignored our desperate prayer that day? Why did righteous people die on September 11, while a lot of pimps and thieves and atheists were a thousand miles away? Why has God let cancer and AIDS invade this world, when a simple flick of the divine finger could have wiped out every disease?

At that holy moment, God will answer every question, and the Bible says the books will be open for a thousand years.

Can you imagine God at that centuries-long press conference, graciously telling us why He did the things He did? You'll be able to ask the toughest questions.

"God, why did you let my friend die?"

"And why is it that my husband didn't make it into heaven?"

"And why did I have so much trouble in my life?"

And with a gentle smile, God will open the books, and you will be able to see it for yourself.

You know, the Apostle Paul writes in First Corinthians, chapter four about our desire to judge things quickly and make hasty decisions. But then he goes on to say something very interesting in verse five (1 Corinthians 4:5 NKJV):

"Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts; and then each one's praise will come from God."

Paul says that when Jesus comes, we are finally going to get the big picture. Not only will God answer all the questions, but all the dark secrets of this sin-scarred world will be exposed to the light of day.

I don't know if you care who really assassinated Kennedy, or if O.J. Simpson was guilty, but if you really want to know, you will be able to look it up. And if somebody who tormented you all your life ends up in heaven, you'll be able to look that one up, too!

And I don't know about you, but I already sense that I'm going to be happy with every answer God gives.

Now, here is one more thing to consider. The key prophetic books—Daniel and Revelation—tell us that the great Judgment takes place during the thousand-year period. It happens after Jesus comes, and that makes sense. There will be people, you see, who reject God at the very last moments of earth's history, and so it would be inappropriate to look at their cases when there is still hope they might choose Christ.

But during the millennium, after the Second Coming, with Jesus by our side, we will have the opportunity to look over their cases and see that God really did do everything possible to save them, short of violating their free will. And when it's over, I know we will be completely satisfied with the answers God gives us.

Now, at the close of this unique thousand-year period of reflection and judgment comes another moment that absolutely amazes me. If you have ever struggled with doubts or discouragement, or if Satan has ever bombarded you with the temptation to give up on God, you need to "hang on" until this golden moment arrives.

When the thousand years are over, the Holy City, New Jerusalem, is going to come down to this tired old planet, and we'll be able to see the devastation left behind by the Second Coming.

According to Revelation 20, verse five, at that moment, the wicked dead come back to life. The Bible calls it a "second resurrection," and at that moment, everybody who has ever lived will all be alive at the same time. Some will be inside the city and some outside. Some have had all their questions answered, but others are still cursing God.

And at that moment, we will be able to see for ourselves that everything God said was true. After we have looked at the books, it's as if God is saying, "Now, let's go take a look so you can see for yourselves."

And unbelievably, as we watch the wicked, the Bible says they storm the holy city and try to take it by force. Even though they have seen the Second Coming, they still hate God. Even though they've had every opportunity in the world, they still choose the devil. They have hardened their hearts to the point where nothing will get through to them, and they would never be happy in the kingdom of heaven.

Listen to what the Bible says (Revelation 20:7-9 NKJV):

"Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city..."

At that somber moment, we will be able to see with our own eyes that the wicked never had any intention of repenting. God tried, and tried, and tried—but they simply wouldn't listen. And in the end, these people would never be happy living in the presence of a holy God, and so God puts an end to it. All of our questions are answered.

You know, God really is patient. After everything we've done, it's amazing that He didn't just wipe us out a long time ago. And when all is said and done, our loving God will bring the whole cancer of human rebellion to the kindest end He possibly can.

It will finally be over—sin, doubts, discouragement and questions.

And the Bible's promise is this, found in Nahum, chapter one and verse nine (Nahum 1:9):

"affliction will not rise up a second time."

In the end, God's people can sing the praises of God with absolute confidence. They know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that every decision God has ever made was the right one.

Listen to the song of redeemed, found in Revelation, chapter 15 (Revelation 15:3, 4 NKJV):

"Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, for Your judgments have been manifested."

Maybe you remember a line by the Apostle Paul, right at the end of his great "Love Chapter," First Corinthians 13. Listen to what it says: (1 Corinthians 13:11, 12 NKJV):

"When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known."

For thousands of years now, we've had doubts and moments of despair and discouragement. There are times we just don't understand. We don't "get it." We don't understand what a loving, all-knowing, all-feeling God is doing up there in heaven.

"We see through a glass darkly," Paul wires, and in our hearts, that's how a lot of us feel. The answers are hard to come by sometimes.

But the glorious moment in the city of God is coming, when you will finally see God face-to-face, and that moment will fix everything. When you see God face-to-face, He is going to answer all your questions. He is going to cradle you in the palm of His hand and help you see things clearly.

Do you have doubts? Soon you'll be "face to face." Are you confused about some of the teachings in the Bible? Just hang on, because a heartbeat from now we'll be "face to face."

Does it sometimes seem like God's followers get the worst of everything, while everyone else is doing just fine? Soon we'll be "face to face," and we'll see that our friendship with God is really going to pay off. When you finally stand in the courts of heaven, the problems and questions of this world are going to seem pretty insignificant.

And author named Sittser penned these words many years ago, and I would like to share them with you.

"When the journey is over, and by God's grace, we reach our destination, we will see the utter greatness and grandeur of His eternal plan. We will discover in that glorious moment how everything fits together, perfectly and intricately. God's plan will seem like a vast landscape, gleaming in the morning sun. It will take our breath away."

You know, the Apostle Paul once wrote that "eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." (1 Corinthians 2:9)

In other words, when we finally see it, we are going to wonder why we questioned it. When we finally hear the voice of Jesus with our own ears, and see Him with our own eyes, we are going to wonder why we ever doubted. And when you plant your feet on the hard reality of the sea of crystal, and join the swelling chorus that sings the truthfulness of God, you are going to know it was worth hanging on.

I know you have struggled with doubts, and from time to time, you wonder if you should keep pursuing God. And maybe today, you are sitting on the edge of giving up. Your faith is in tatters, and the temptation to quit is real. People have hurt you, you've been disappointed, and you are not going to let yourself become vulnerable ever again.

But in your heart, the persistent voice of God keeps calling you. Like a stubborn bloodhound, He stays on your trail because time is short and He can't bear the thought of a kingdom without you.

What keeps you from stepping out in faith and believing that He's real? In your heart, you know all the evidence points His way, and today, you've heard that He promises to answer everything in time. One day, you'll be completely satisfied.

But on the other hand, in a life apart from God, what promise do you have? What hope do you have? Is there any chance you will ever understand anything? Because the people who give up on God still have questions. They still see the injustice of this world, but now they have nobody to ask, and no future to look forward to. All they have is meaninglessness. And frankly, when the Bible holds so many answers, and God promises so much, wouldn't it be wiser to follow faith?

You know, the Bible teaches that even God knows what disappointment feels like. When sin first shattered the family of God in heaven, it ripped at His heart. When it moved to earth and His human family started to suffer, it brought tears to His eyes.

But right now, at this moment, He is reaching out for your hand. He is asking you to trust Him as He digs you out of this hopeless pit of sin. And His guarantee, if you cling to Him, is that you'll make it. What keeps you from responding right now?

PRAYER:
Almighty Father and faithful friend, you know we struggle down here below. We can't see behind the divine curtain and know all that your infinite heart and hands are doing. But God, we choose to trust You today. We trust you because we have your Bible. We have the cloud of witnesses through the ages, testifying to your eternal goodness. We have the guarantee of future revelation, when you will patiently make all things clear. We have the assurance that you will wipe away, not only our tears, but also our questions. Thank you that trusting you is something you not only invite us to do, you teach us how to do it. Thank you for your holy spirit, who leads our hearts gently but irresistibly toward home. In the name of Jesus our Savior, amen.

Scriptures Used in “The Day Doubt Is Removed”

"Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war."
—Revelation 19:11 NKJV

"And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before god, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books."
—Revelation 20:12 NKJV

"Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts; and then each one's praise will come from God."
—1 Corinthians 4:5 NKJV

"Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city..."
—Revelation 20:7-9 NKJV

"Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, for Your judgments have been manifested."
—Revelation 15:3, 4 NKJV

"When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known."
—1 Corinthians 13:11, 12 NKJV