Monday: Unhappy Endings
The book of Job concluded with things going well for Job, who died “old and full of days.” As we all know, and know all too well, that’s not how the story ends for so many others. Even those who were faithful and honorable and virtuous didn’t always wind up in a situation such as Job’s.
Image © Pacific Press from GoodSalt.com
How did the story end for the following Bible characters?
Abel (Gen. 4:8)
Uriah (2 Sam. 11:17)
Eli (1 Sam. 4:18)
King Josiah (2 Chron. 35:22-24)
John the Baptist (Matt. 14:10)
Stephen (Acts 7:59-60.
As we can see, the Bible is full of stories that don’t have happy endings. And that’s because life itself is full of stories that don’t have happy endings. Whether martyred for a good cause, or dying from a horrible disease, or having a life reduced to pain and misery, many people don’t come through their trials as triumphant as Job did. In fact, to be honest, how often do things work out well, as they did for Job? And we don’t need the Bible to know this terrible fact. Who among us doesn’t know of unhappy endings?
What are some stories with unhappy endings that you know of? What have you learned from them?
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it is because of sin that is why we are faced with diseases, natural calamities like earthquake, tsunamies etc. we are faced also with diseases which are incurable and even dead. it is becuase of the curse that came to us through our first parent.
Those who hold to God's unchanging hand is sure to have a happy ending.Jesus is about to say behold I make all things new.
Amen
My name is Marie-Denise Clermeus. I was raised Roman catholic and decided to be a nun in order for me to be closer to our Father in heavens. When I found out that it is wrong to worship idols. I became Methodist. I fell in love with the Bible and discover that I had to keep God's Commandants. At 18 years old I was baptized and became an active member. At the age of 26, I was married with a brother I found in the church. I thought that will last for ever but unfortunately, I was married a demon. It is very sad for me to stay by myself sometimes but I let that to our Father in heavens who can help me to stay at his feet until my brother Jesus, my Savior comes to get me.
That is very sad. I pray that God brings you many happy days before His return and the great joy of communing with Him as well as blessed fellowship with others in Christ.
I know people who "seem" to have it all. Nice homes, lots of money, a "good" name in the community, kids, spouse etc.....but, of these people, I see sadness and strife, sorrow and discontentment, anger, jealousy, bitterness, etc...... Nobody can take away our relationship with our Savior and all the wonderful blessings that come with that; joy, peace, happiness, contentment, love, forgiveness, strength, hope, assurance etc.... We need to stay close to our Saviour through prayer, study, obedience because we know we are loved so much and we have faith in that love therefore, we love.
There is a real danger in okaying sinful practices because we are hurting for whatever reason. These are the Times we need to draw closer to God, if we don't, Satan will use these tribulations to get a foothold in our lives and then we will be subject to his ideals. God never gives up on us, we give up on Him.
God bless you !
We may not have a happy ending here but if we live for Christ, when he comes, we go home, we have a happy ending
I think of Moses. He was a prince in the first "forty years". Then a prisoner in the desert in the second "forty years". In the last "forty years" I class him as a slave to the people of Israel. And then God took him away just before promised land.
For those who have come to the Adventist faith early in their lives, very good. I pray that you stay connected, no matter what.
For those of us who are "late" in years and who have been princes in their early years, take the Moses story to heart. Your (our) promised land is not of this world. By the grace of God, stay connected!
Be comforted by the parable of Mathew 20....Employed early or late the value of pay is the same,; which is mercy
The earth promised to the meek will not be like this, darkened with the shadow of death and the curse... There is no disappointment, no sorrow, no sin, no one who shall say, I am sick; there are no burial trains, no mourning, no death, no partings, no broken hearts; but Jesus is there, peace is there. {MB 17}
In the City of God "there shall be no night." None will need or desire repose. There will be no weariness in doing the will of God and offering praise to His name. We shall ever feel the freshness of the morning and shall ever be far from its close... The light of the sun will be superseded by a radiance which is not painfully dazzling, yet which immeasurably surpasses the brightness of our noontide. The glory of God and the Lamb floods the Holy City with unfading light. The redeemed walk in the sunless glory of perpetual day. {GC 676}
This is the place we should all strive to go so that even if we don't get a happy ending here on earth we shall get it in heaven.
The Topic of this lesson says"unhappy ending "
How this Christians end becomes un happy when they were facing their beyond while all things will be made New?
What is un happy end To The God'Believers ?
Yes times will come when the only thing that will sustain us, is the hope of immortality. And as the apostle says, if there is no resurrection, then we are the most pitiable of people. (1Cor 15:15-20.)
But the three, great, enduring things for the Christian, are faith, hope, and love. These will help us to get above, and stay above, even the most [outwardly] depressing circumstances. What a world of difference they make!
You may ask the question why God returned unto Job twice as much as he loss and then flaunt it in our faces as a happy ending when He knows that in most cases life, for some, does not end this way.
There are prayers going up everyday for the healing of the sick. For saving a loved one from death. For curing mental illness, etc. But for most cases it's an unhappy ending.
I don't know why God answers prayers in a positive way for some and a negative way for others. I don't know the mind of God. But I know He is God and God all by Himself. What I do know also is that God loves and cares for us. And if we our faithful to His Word, no matter the circumstance, that He has promised us an eternal life beyond our imaginations, therefore turning unhappy ending into "happily ever after".
The story of Job is not really about happy endings but about living with the unhappy present and unanswered questions. God did not provide answers to Job, only the promise that he is there. It would be a mistake to read Job as a prosperity promise.
I am only too well aware of those who have prayed for healing for themselves or for loved ones only to find that their prayers have not been answered in the way they had hoped. My prayer is always that folk facing those situations feel the love of God upholding them through our words and actions. We should not be like Job's friends offering explanations that are often both erroneous and offensive. Simply being there when needed is often all that is needed. We need to understand that for many situations we are God's hands. That is an awesome responsibility!
Jesus does promise us happiness but not necessarily on this earth, in fact He promises us happiness without ending on the earth made new.
He does promise us inner joy and peace because He loves us.
So it depends on your focus is it external or internal is it here and now or eternal?
The stories with unhappy endings that we know of, are all at the door of Satan, one way or another. Experiences that are not Biblical but are real. Experiences that an older generation some 70 years ago was witness to. Three million Jews that were annihilated just because they were Jews. Yes that is definitely an unhappy ending that we forget about. Evil minds and the plans of Satan definitely get the credit. The comparisons from the lesson that are a bit different, helps to bring the focus into view the reason for an "unhappy" ending in the book of Job. Many would rather contemplate life for all, for ever after. I believe Job will be there.
So, in many cases those that have lives of woe are experiencing the consequences of their actions or disobedience (i.e. King Josiah)...those examples you mentioned (except for John the Baptist, who chose the life of a martyr) the woes are a consequence of disobedience....the story of Job illustrates that a life of obedience will result in the Blessings of the LORD....
I think of Mrs job, who wants to have 20 children? Still doing diapers at 80 yrs old?
Children are a blessings, especially back in time of Job, in a society where your wealth and status in the community was measured by the amounts of cattle you had, and the number of children, sons, you had, which is why the emphasis was put on the number of sons Job had. As for diapers, not to worry yourself; Mrs. Job, being a wealth woman, had plenty of servants, she probably didn't have to change any of her children's diapers at all.
Nowadays, even though your success and status is not measured by the number of children you have, Children are still a blessing.
I have four kids with no more diapers! Thanks
: )
Fair comment Michael. One other consideration though, is that Job's household was 'equipped' with men-servants and maid-servants. (Job 19:15-16.) Both before and after the disasters, the household was a very wealthy one, and I expect that Mrs Job would have had help.
1 Abel - murdered by his own brother
2 Uriah - died because King David coveted and went further to commit adultery
3 Eli - he invoked God's anger because he didn't train up his kids that led to his own death
4 King Josiah - disobedience led him to his death
These characters above made me question myself as a christian today am I not getting someone killed because of my behaviour. We need to take note of how we live.
5 John the Baptist - beheaded to death
6 Stephen - stoned to death
Nonetheless I believe these deaths even though they are unhappy endings they serve as a reminder to make us aware of the way we should live and also that death is the ultimate here on earth
as long as sin exists there are no guarantees of happy endings. no happy beginnings, middles or endings.
but God has promised us a happy ending that is also a happy new beginning, and one that will never end!
With some, their whole life seems tied to the external circumstances they find themselves in. But I don't think that God designed that we should be the "sport" of circumstances. There are some people that seem to be happy, even though they have practically nothing in terms of this world's wealth.
My husband and I always thought we had a close relationship with God. In August 2015 my husband was diagnosed with a tumor in his salivary gland and he had it removed in Sept. That was the beginning of our cancer journey. Tests were run and they found that the cancer had metastasized to his lungs and lymph nodes. He was told he had 6 months to a year if he had chemo. In November he had his first chemo treatment and after much prayer decided to have no more chemo and have alternative treatment. God was with us throughout the treatments and we grew more closer to Him. He showed us what completely trusting in Him meant. He gave us the strength,healing, love and peace that we needed. Our children rallied around my husband and I and supported us too. My dear husband went to sleep in the Lord on April 2016. He was at peace and knew he would see Jesus when He comes in the clouds of glory. My children and grandchildren know we will be reunited again and there will be . No more pain,tears or suffering. We know for certain God is always there for us just as he promises.
Yes sis Jesus truly is always there for us. He said He will never leave us nor forsake us and HE HAS EVER KEPT THAT PROMISE!!!! He has always been on time. God looks upon us with the tenderest love, ready to embrace us completely.
Peace is the happy ending for the believer. It was seen in Stephen when he prayed for his enemies. Paul had it when he learned to be content in whatever state he was in. Phil 4:11. Jesus offers it to the obedient: john 14:27. There is a happy ending, even if the circumstsnces aren't, on this earth.
I am truly blessed by this Lesson! thank you. I have John the Baptist life in mind. We may not have a happy ending in this sinful world, but happy eternity is waiting for us on the other side. That completes me!!!!!
if our life ends unhappy on this earth. God will make us happy in heaven
I think of Elisha vs Elijah when I think of the contrast between happy/unhappy endings. One went up in a blazing chariot while the other (filled with a double portion of Gods Spirit), dies of a long term illness. Only God can answer why. Even with the numerous recent losses in my own life, I praise Him at times because I can see some of the subtle changes 'suffering" has made in my own priorities, focus, decisions and actions.
The Bible itself is a book of happy ending, a new earth and the city of Jerusalem with God's Throne, but it is not happy ending for Satan, his angels and the lost. We lost our clothes, our home the garden, the tree of life, our dominion,become slaves manipulated by Satan who took our world as his home, and we did not care to investigate all properly. Thanks.
I know of many stories where those who prayed and trusted in God did not have such a happy ending. God loves us so much and He is merciful to us always, but sometimes His will for our lives may not exactly be what we want or expected. We must trust God and know that He has nothing but good intentions for us always. We must also know that His thoughts are not as our thoughts or His ways like our ways. He sees and knows what we go through in life, and He has already mapped out our path. We fall, make mistakes and backslide in many ways but His love will always remain. There are also times when we stray far away and in our rebellious stages we tend to get stuck in situations that God never meant for us to be in, we end up in marriages and stuck with someone that was not suppose to even be in our lives and when we repent and come to Jesus and get back on track, God may not fully undo what we did but He will give us His grace which is always sufficient and turn our lemons into the sweetest lemonade. It may be an unhappy ending in our eyes but God still knows best!!!!!!!
I've been to different churches but when I came to SDA church, I've found happiness within me. I got married to an Adventist man for two years and have a baby boy but today I'm really not happy and getting divorce due to abuse(physical, emotional and spiritual). That my unhappy ending but I'll never blame God about it. But I am happy that God is with me all the time and that will never change cause He first loved me. I'm really in need of prayers so that I can be able to forgive him for everything he has done because God forgive all our sins all the time.