‘SECOND-COMING’ ENDURANCE
Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on September 11, 2024 under AM Bible Study |
AM Bible Study Group: September 11, 2024 from James 5:7-8
Theme: God will bring just judgment upon those who make themselves rich through the oppression of His people.
(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).
James is a very practical pastor. And in the first half of James 5, he wrote about one of the most practical needs that a believer can have … patience while being oppressed. He began by describing the nature of those who do the oppressing. In verse 1, he wrote;
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! (James 5:1).
As we studied these words in our last time together, we stressed that—taking the teaching of the Bible as a whole—James would not have been writing those harsh words about all rich people in general. Rather, he was writing about a specific kind of rich person who was characterized by evil treatment toward others. In verses 2-5, he went on to say to the ‘evil rich’;
Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter (vv. 2-5).
In what might be the most serious indictment against the evil rich, he added this:
You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you (v. 6).
The believers to whom James wrote these words were, indeed, suffering greatly. As James 1:1 indicates to us, these were Jewish Christians who had been scattered from their homeland because of persecution. Many of them had lost all that they possessed because of the kind of oppression that is described in verses 1-6. And as James assumes in verse 6, these believers followed the teaching of Jesus and did not resist the evil person or respond in kind.
To ‘resist’ in an ungodly way would be a natural temptation. Often when a believer is suffering because of being treated unjustly, it would be hard for him or her not to ask, “Why is this happening to me? I just want all of this to end! In fact, I will make it end!” And thus, it would be a strong temptation to take action to make their trial of injustice end by their own hand—somehow getting even with those who oppress them. But because of human fallenness, such retribution would only result in more injustice … and would most likely promote further harm to the already-persecuted church.
But what James then goes on to tell his brothers and sisters in verses 7-8 gives them the right perspective. He told them;
Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand (vv. 7-8).
James showed his readers that the kind of enduring patience they were to exhibit didn’t come from becoming passive or indifferent to suffering. Rather, it came from gaining a reverent perspective with respect to something true, and objective; and by being filled with joyous expectation about it. He showed them that true hope comes from having a proper view of the promise of the return of the Lord. God, through His servant James, showed these oppressed believers that the strength they needed for patience when treated unjustly came as a result of fixing their hopes on the sure and certain return of the Lord Jesus—and upon the true justice that He will bring about at His glorious second coming.
And this is an encouragement for us as well. It teaches us that we too will be ‘long-suffering’ to the degree that we keep our eyes fixed upon the Lord Jesus and His promised return—putting good ‘end-times’ theology to practical application in times of oppression.
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Now; James unfolded this encouragement before his brothers and sisters by stressing three important things: (1) the attitude they were to have—that is, an attitude of ‘patience’; (2) the perspective that brings that attitude about—that is, the awareness that God operates His works of justice on the basis of His own sovereign time-table; and (3) the personal practice that reinforces that perspective—that is, to establish their hearts in the sure and certain expectation of Jesus’ coming.
So; notice first …
1. THE ATTITUDE WE’RE TO HAVE (v. 7a).
James wrote in verse 7, “Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord.” The attitude to have in times of oppression and persecution is one of patience.
Note the word “Therefore” at the beginning of verse 7 (or “Be patient, then” as it’s translated in the New International Version). That word may seem insignificant and incidental; but it’s actually of enormous importance. By beginning in this way, James wasn’t in any respect dismissing the reality of the suffering of God’s people. In fact, the implication of his deliberate use of that word is that the suffering they were undergoing had a divine intentionality to it. He wasn’t saying, “There are bad people out there; but anyway, be patient …” Rather, he said, “There are bad people out there; therefore, be patient …” This makes us think back to the words that he wrote to these suffering Christians at the very beginning of his letter;
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing (1:2-4).
If our heavenly Father wished to, He could—at any time—step in and bring a complete end to all the suffering and oppression and persecution of His people before it even began. But in His wisdom, He knows that His people need those trials in order to grow in the way He wants them to grow. So; James stresses that ‘divine intentionality’ of times of suffering through the call to ‘therefore’ be patient in it.
And notice the word that he uses to describe that attitude of patience. He doesn’t use the ordinary word for that attitude. The ordinary word, in the original language, would be hupomonē; which is a word that means “to abide under” or “to remain under”. It’s the word he used at the beginning of his letter when he said that the testing of our faith produces “patience” (that is, an endurance that shows itself in “abiding” in confident faith while “under” the circumstances). But in verse 7 of our passage, James uses the word makrothumeō; which is a compound word that is formed by putting together the word for “far”, and the word for “to burn” or “to be hot”. Hupomonē would suggest an attitude toward the plan and purpose of God in times of oppression; but makrothumeō would describe an attitude toward the oppressor. In modern language, we would say that James is calling his readers to “have a short fuse” toward their oppressors when they’re feeling the pressure of injustice.
Sadly, many of us who are believers undergo a remarkable change of conduct whenever we’re in a situation in which people frustrate us. We get a bit moody and grouchy. Our ‘fuse’ gets ‘short’, and we end up reacting toward those people in ways that are very unlike our Lord. At such times, we need to exercise true ‘longsuffering’ with the things and people who frustrate us. And here, in this passage, we’re being called to exercise that same quality when undergoing mistreatment.
This would be true with respect to our outward behavior toward those who frustrate us. As it says in Proverbs 14:29,
He who is slow to wrath has great understanding,
But he who is impulsive exalts folly (Proverbs 14:29);
and in Proverbs 16:32;
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city (Proverbs 16:32).
But this would also be true with respect to our inward disposition. As it says in Hebrews 12:14-15;
Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled … (Hebrews 12:14-15).
So; that’s the attitude that is to characterize us as God’s people in a time of oppression and wrong-doing. We’re to be patient—truly “longsuffering” or “long-fused” toward those who harm us. How “long” are we to be “longsuffering”? How “long” should the “fuse” be? We’re to keep longsuffering all the way “until the coming of the Lord”; because the promise of His coming is the objective basis of that attitude of heart.
And that, then, leads us to what James tells us about …
2. THE PERSPECTIVE THAT GIVES US SUCH PATIENCE (v. 7b).
When James called his readers to be longsuffering “until the coming of the Lord”, he was urging them to look ahead—far past the present time of suffering—and to gain perspective. That ‘forward look’ is described for us in Colossians 3:1-4;
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory (Colossians 3:1-4).
The phrase “when Christ who is our life appears” points our attention toward the substance of that ‘forward look’. That time has not yet come; but, in God’s perfect time, it will. And we must wait for that perfect time. With that in mind, James gave his readers an illustration in the second half of verse 7; “See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain” (v. 7b).
In the land of Israel—and in many places of the world—the first important rain of the growing season—the early rain—comes in late October to early November. It’s a crucial season; because, through it, the germination of the newly planted seed occurs. And then, as the seed grows and the growth is produced, another crucial season—the latter rain—comes in the spring. It’s crucial for the maturation of the growing grain. Without those two rainy seasons—coming in their appointed times—no growth will occur. And it would do no good for the farmer to be impatient about it. He has to wait for God’s sovereign, providential order of things.
We—who look ahead to the return of the Lord while undergoing a time of suffering under the hand of oppressors—also have to be like that farmer and wait for God’s perfect, sovereign timing of things. We need to remember that for everything we actually see happening in this world, our sovereign heavenly Father is bringing about a multitude of other things—unseen to us—that are fulfilling His purpose. It may even be that—behind the scenes—He is working out the conviction and repentance of the very ones who oppress us. When all the pieces of His perfect plan are in place and are fulfilled, we’ll sing His praises and readily confess that He truly does cause all things to “work together for good to those who love” Him (Romans 8:28). And like that of the farmer, our patience in His timing of things will pay off.
So; patience is the attitude that is needed; and a forward look to the promised return of our Lord is the perspective that gives us patience. But it’s more than simply a matter of passively knowing these things. There’s something that we ourselves must do. And so, finally, notice what James told his readers about …
3. THE PRACTICE THAT REINFORCES THAT PERSPECTIVE (v. 8).
In verse 8, James told his readers, “You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” We have a duty before God of sincere ‘heart-establishment’ with respect to our hope in the coming of the Lord. James called his readers to—literally—“strengthen” their inner disposition in these matters. How might we go about doing this?
- We do this by accepting the principle that the Bible affirms to us about suffering; that “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). As Peter warned us, we shouldn’t allow ourselves to think that it’s “a strange thing” concerning the fiery trials that come upon us (1 Peter 4:12). Instead, as Peter told his readers, “rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy” (v. 13).
- We also establish our hearts in the hope of the Lord’s coming by deferring ‘vengeance’ to God’s judgment. We must not repay evil for evil; but rather make it our goal to live at peace with all men—even with those who hate us. We must not “avenge” ourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “’Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord—being careful not to be “overcome by evil” but to “overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:17-21). We must allow the Lord Jesus to ‘handle it’ for us when He returns.
But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:8-9).
- And finally, we establish our hearts in the hope of Jesus’ coming by keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus as our great example of hopeful patience in suffering. He Himself has shown us how to endure under oppression as we keep on
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls (Hebrews 12:2-3).
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So; as James’ words teach us, we strengthen our hearts for endurance when we keep our focus on our Lord’s coming. But James isn’t the only one who taught us this. Paul—another great sufferer for the Lord Jesus—also wrote to a group of Christians who were being oppressed. And He likewise exhorted them to look to the Lord’s return.
As he wrote in 2 Thessalonians 1:3-10;
We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed (2 Thessalonians 1:3-10).
So; as James would tell us, “Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord.”
AE
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