"These are the times that try men's souls."

Thomas Paine’s words, “These are the times that try men’s souls,” written as the opening lines of his Crisis articles in 1777 have often echoed in American history during trying times. Again our land is beset with trials and difficulties from without and within that try the union of the country, that seem to defy the rational capabilities of our leaders, and that seemly refuse any attempt at a solution. Most I fear are problems of our own doing and thinking. So, these are the times that try men’s souls.

In my reading of Zechariah, the Old Testament prophet inspired by God to deliver His word to the Jewish people who had returned from their captivity, I found some thoughts that brought hope and comfort. For whatever men may do or think, God is control of history. He will have His way. God sent Zechariah to bring hope to the Israelites of old. Things would not continue as they had. His anger against them as a people for their sins had passed. God is after all a covenant keeping God. He sent Zechariah to comfort them in that. A few lessons stand out to me in Zechariah 1:7-16, his first vision.

Trials are Meant for Good

This is contrary to our expectations and seems contrary to the goodness of God. But the scriptures are clear in many places that God does indeed use the sins of men and the trials in a sin filled world to accomplish good in the lives of his people. Consider Joseph’s statement to his brothers in Genesis 50:20. This is where the apparent clever argument of the atheist of the “problem of evil” against Christianity falls to the ground. God’s wisdom is so far above our own and his power so mighty that he even uses evil to accomplish his good purposes! So it was with Israel of old. God brought “trying times” upon Israel for their faithlessness and disobedience. That time was past (Zech. 1:14-16). God used the evil of the oppressing nations but would turn their evil back upon them. He was not content to let the then world rest in quietness of the status quo by the ruling powers (Zech. 1:11,15).

Paul writes in a similar vein in Romans 5:1-5 that the believer’s sufferings produce good in him. Having peace with God by faith in the provision for salvation, Jesus Christ, the believer rejoices in the hope in glory of God and in the tribulations of life. Such trials beget good things in us; perseverance, character, and hope.

The Church is Not Israel of the Old Testament

God treated his people Israel as children. They were underage (Gal. 4:1ff). I do not mean to disparage Israel of old. They were and are unique as a people for God made covenant with them. They had and have a special role in the plan of redemption (Rom. 11:25-33).  Yet as with a child they were disciplined as a whole and subject to outward punishments. They were given signs and shadows, not the reality of the full redemption in Christ. They heard the gospel (Heb. 4: 2) and were saved by faith (Romans 4). Nonetheless we see God’s mercy towards his people again and again despite their sin.

God surely disciplines believers (Heb. 12:7ff). Yet his dealings with the church are more of grace and mercy. There is no warning of captivity and divorce. The trials bear the fruit of building up believers and he defends his blood bought people because they are truly and fully his children (John 1:12,13). So, God does not treat his Church like he treated Israel of old. Just as a parent more severely rules his young child in order to teach and then grants greater freedom to the mature child so God works differently in the life of His beloved Church as the bride of His Son. If there was grace and love toward Israel of old surely God is truly zealous for his Church. In trying times God builds his church and his grace is displayed even more.

God Removes the Ease of the World to Enlarge the Church

God promised through Zechariah that he would again visit Jerusalem with mercy and cause the cities of the land to grow and prosper. He expressed his anger with the nations at ease who had with evil intent oppressed Israel. Throughout the prophets we see that God would judge the nations and upend their rule for the sake of his people. The Israelites that returned from the seventy years captivity would live through the upheavals of God’s punishment of the nation powers of that time. Yet, God stated that he loved his people, would comfort them, and enlarge them again.

So, in the human history of nations we see that God withdraws his grace and the nations are plunged into war. Their sin of pride runs unhindered again. God uses their own sin to punish them. Perhaps now as in the past we are seeing the nations turning to violence and oppression in large numbers. God is judging this unbelieving world. He is judging western nations and their civilization for turning their backs on him and all his external blessings. We see the upheaval as the nations again are allowed to let their sin produce its corrupt fruit. The Church is living through this upheaval. What is punishment for the nations is for the building up of perseverance, character, and hope of the Church. In the end this is all meant for the prosperity of the Church for God will call hopeless men, women, and children to himself through the only savior of world. God will enlarge the Church and it will spread out through prosperity by the calling of more sinners to faith and repentance from the ranks of unbelief, false religion, and outright enemies (Romans 5:6ff). These are the times that try men’s souls. God is trying your soul in these days. What is your trust?