Psalm 11:4,5 says, ‘4 The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD’S throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. 5 The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked, And the one who loves violence His soul hates.’
Why God is testing the righteous? Revelation 22 says, ‘and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy.” The purpose is for us to grow in righteousness. In all tests, God has a purpose to reveal our true spiritual condition, so that we can be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful for the master.
Jeremiah 20:12 ‘..Yet, O LORD of hosts, You who test the righteous, Who see the mind and the heart;’
Deuteronomy 8:2,3 ‘2 You shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. 3 He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.’
God humbles us and tests us to prove our character and to sanctify us.
Malachi 3:3, ‘3He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness.’ He sits as a refiner, so that they may again offer acceptable sacrifices to the Lord.
Ephesians 5:26,27, ‘26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.’ We need to be holy and blameless as a Church.
Trials will show, if our Faith is genuine. Luke 18:8, ‘8 I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”’
James 1:2,3, ‘2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.’ When our faith is tested, our endurance has a chance to grow. In Old testament, God tested Abraham and he passed the test. Genesis 22:12, ‘12 He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now, I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”’
Mark 4:40, ‘40And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”’, This was the first test of His disciples, they failed it. They did not believe in the Sovereignty of God, in God’s compassion and love for them. Luke 8:25, ‘..And He said to them, “Where is your faith?”’ Let us examine ourselves and test ourselves to see if our faith is genuine. 2 Corinthians 13:5, ‘5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?’
Matthew 24:12, ‘12 Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.’ Love of many will grow cold. Deuteronomy 13:3, ‘3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you to find out if you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.’ God tests us to see if we truly love Him with all our heart and soul. Job 1:10, ‘10Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.’ It is an encouragement to see that God had put a hedge around Job, his house and all that he has. It is for us too.
Job 23:10, ‘“But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold’ We see the end result in, Job 42:5,6, ‘“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You; 6 Therefore I retract, And I repent in dust and ashes.”’ It is a great blessing to hear and see Him. God is in control. He has mighty protection over us. Never lets us get tempted beyond our enduring capacity.
1 Corinthians 10:13, ‘13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.’ There is a way of escape through His grace and strength. God is still on the throne.
Psalms 11:4, ‘The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD’S throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.’ Our Faith should not waver and our love should not grow cold. His grace is sufficient for us. He is on the throne.
