Thursday: Limits and Rules
Daily Lesson for Thursday 6th of March 2025
The cosmic conflict is primarily a dispute over God’s character, caused by the devil’s slanderous allegations against God’s goodness, justice, and government. It is a kind of cosmic covenant lawsuit.
Such a conflict cannot be settled by sheer power but, instead, requires demonstration.
Image © Lars Justinen from GoodSalt.com
If serious allegations are brought against a person in power, the best (and maybe only) way to defeat the allegations would be to allow for a free, fair, and open investigation. If the allegations threaten the entire government (of love), they cannot simply be swept under the rug.
What does all this mean for understanding the cosmic conflict and relating to the problem of evil? If God makes a promise, would He ever break it? Of course not. Insofar as God agrees to rules of engagement, His future action would be (morally) limited. As such, evil will fall within the temporary domain of the kingdom of darkness.
Read Mark 6:5 and Mark 9:29. What do these texts display about how even divine action might be integrally related to such factors as faith and prayer?
In both these narratives, some limits or rules of engagement seem to be in place, dynamically related to such things as faith and prayer. Elsewhere we see abundant evidence that prayer makes a difference in this world, opening up avenues for divine action that otherwise might not be (morally) available. However, we should not make the mistake of thinking that faith and prayer are the only factors. There are likely many other factors of which we might be unaware.
This fits with what we’ve seen previously about rules of engagement. As we said, there are ceratin rules of engagement in the great controversy that limit what God can morally do, at least for now.
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Read Romans 8:18 and Revelation 21:3-4. How do these texts give you confidence that even though there are many things we do not know, we can trust that God knows what is best, wants what is best, and will bring an end to evil and usher in an eternity of bliss? |
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It is fascinating to see a God who is Almighty, and sovereign being bound by certain limits and rules during the ongoing great controversy. God has power to annihilate Satan and his followers instantly but has constrained Himself to allow his justice and love to vindicate his character. God operates within self-imposed limits and rules to demonstrate that His rule is based on the principles of righteousness, love and justice rather than force. Why does God operate within self-imposed limits and rules?
1. God is love and His character never changes - (1 John 4:8)
2. God respects free will and He wants to preserve it - (Joshua 24:15, Revelation 3:20)
3. God wants to demonstrate transparency and justice - (Job 1-2, Revelation 15:3-4)
4. God does not want to His laws (moral) - (Psalm 119:89, Matthew 5:17-18)
5. God wants to win the great conflict on moral grounds and not by force - (Colossians 2:15, Revelation 12:10-11)
It is important to remind ourselves of some of the rules of engagement in this conflict.
a) God respects the free will - (Joshua 24:15).
b) God works through truth, but Satan works through deception - (John 8:32).
c) We limit God’s intervention by our choices - (Revelation 3:20).
d) Prayer grants God divine permission to intervene in human affairs - (Daniel 10:12-13).
e) Human choices have consequences - (Galatians 6:7-8).
f) Satan has got limited power - (Job 1:12).
g) Jesus has already won the victory - (Revelation 20:10, Revelation 12:11).
What guarantee do we have that we shall stay safe within these rules of engagement?
1. To submit to God and the devil will flee
2. To put on the whole of God’s armor
3. To stay connected to God through prayer
4. To live a life of obedience in accordance with the Word of God
5. To have faith in Jesus
“For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believ
I think most of us have some idea of an unlevel playing field. I have an illustration of this but I warn you, I don't come out of this one looking like a saint.
Back in the days before computer games my brother-in-law, Allan, and I decided to play Mastermind while we were on a family picnic. It was a game where you have coloured pegs that are hidden from the other player and he has to guess the colour and order of the pegs. After each guess, the person who has set the pegs gives clues as to how many were the correct colour and how many were in the right place. So the game comes down to a bit of guesswork and skill in logic.
We played a couple of games and then I noticed that even though I could not see the pegs in Allan's game I could see a faint reflection of the colour in the background. I tested my theory out and sure enough I was right. Now I have to admit to playing several more games with Allan, but in my defence, it was not because I could win by cheating, but I enjoyed seeing him trying to work out how I was cheating.
The problem with the Good versus Evil battle is that one side plays by the rules and the other cheats. While we know the battle is won, we still have to live in the battle and part of our job as Christians is to help the wounded.
We have talked a lot about causes and roles in this battle and if you to let this discussion loose in the secular world, most people would not have a clue what we are talking about. Our responsibility is to share our knowledge of this battle in a practical way that people can understand. The battle is complex, but the argument is simple - help the wounded.
If we go back to the book of Job, there are a few texts we often overlook in our rush to read the theology of the battle between Good and Evil.
I believe that even if we had lost the rest of the book of Job from that point on, we would have been left with a powerful lesson of our responsiblity in this battle. Sharing the pain is a powerful argument.
Thank you for this enlightening illustration Maurice. I wonder if there was a bit of smug, self-satisfaction in using your trick to outwit Allen?
To elaborate on my Sunday's comment about pride. I wonder if the very two first thoughts from Lucifer's mind, (that led to his downfall, and thus to all the misery in the universe) were: 1) You know? I have a very good position here next to God. And then a follow up thought,
2) Actually I am the only one qualified enough to have it, there is no one more capable than I.
Both of these thoughts were correct, technically, and for God to instantly destroy Satan for thinking them would even today seem a bit harsh.
I wonder if the life of Job stuck in the craw of Satan because he saw in Jobs life a reflection of his own position in heaven. In summary of Job's wealth and influence it is written: "So that this man was the greatest of all the men of the East." (Job 1:3 KJV)
(Much like at one time Lucifer was once one of the greatest angels in heaven.)
Yet he refused to be filled with pride for possessing such great wealth, or for being the head of such a prestigious household. The whispered thoughts of flattery that found reception in the ears of Eve found no fertile ground in the heart of Job. He could have prayed as that Pharisee did later, "Lord I thank thee that I am not like other men..." (Luke 18:11) But Jobs humility struck directly at Satan's pride, and for God to pointedly mention it to Satan must have irked him to no end.
Pride cannot survive that shattering impact against that stone of God's self-sacrificing love. (Matthew 21:44)
Have a blessed morning
Steven