1 Kings
22:48 (ESV) Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but
they did not go, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber.
NOTE: Jehoshaphat is
one of the good kings of Judah. Spurgeon suggests that it was his alliance with
Ahaziah that was the cause of his misfortune (since Solomon had tried the same
thing but was successful whereas Jehoshaphat was not). Actually, 2 Chron 20:35-37
confirms Spurgeon's theory. It is certainly possible that negative events are
caused by God (as opposed to allowed). But much of our problems in life are not
God's direct hand, but rather the result of our original rebellion and the
effect of sin on the world. Bad things happen and they do pass through God's
hand (in the sense that he can intervene), but that does not mean they are
caused or that he is required to intervene. Also, God's promise to believers in
Rom 8:28 only says that he will bring good out of all things (good and bad),
not that he will stop bad things from happening to believers. Unlike most of
life, in this passage's cross-reference, we have direct confirmation of God's
hand and purpose in the event. Most of the time, we don't get that information.
So what do we do when bad things happen? We must take them to the Lord and ask
as David did, "(Ps 139:23-24) Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me
and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me
in the way everlasting!" God will use it for good but God could have
caused it for purpose. We need him to reveal to us his work.
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