2 Corinthians, 4:17-18
Bob Eckel · Oct 10, 2004
2 Corinthians (2004-05), No. 15
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/48262313585096

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

All right. You know, we all have our favorite verses in the Bible. And, you know, I think among mine or where our citizenship is, is how it reminds me of constantly and Paul's for to me to live is Christ and die is gain is one of my faith and these two verses Have have just ministered to me in such a very special way And so it's really a privilege to to kind of lead you through these verses today So to set the stage before we get into the last two verses of 2nd Corinthians 4 17 and 18 specifically let's begin Reading at verse 7 and Larry could could you take 7 down to the end of the chapter for us, please? Do you have your Bible open there?

Because we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed, perplexed, but not despaired, persecuted, but not forsaken, struck down, but not destroyed.

Always carrying God in the body, the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in the body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to the death of Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in the flesh. The death works in us, the life in you. But having the same spirit of faith according to what is written, I believe, therefore, as Pope, we also believe, therefore, to also receive. One of the heathen rays, Lord Jesus, which rays are also receiving, will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause a giving of thanks to abound to the Lord God.

Therefore, we do not depart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentarily, light affliction is producing for us an eternal wave of glory far beyond all comparison. For we look not to the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, and the things which are not seen are eternal.

Great. Thanks very much, Larry. I appreciate your reading that. What's this light affliction anyway? Think out loud with me. What's this light affliction that Paul speaks about? Alright. Other thoughts? What's affliction? How? The only way it can be light Because just as Larry was talking about, yeah, it is.

Thanks Hal. You led me right into that. You looked at the handout. I know that's what you did. No, I'm just teasing. Go ahead. No, no. That's exactly what I was going to say. The only way it could be light is because it's his yoke. And he says it's light. Isn't that so true? mean, just think about this a little bit.

The term affliction really is best interpreted as pressing together, pressure, oppression. Affliction is not a soft term. In fact, almost the term light affliction is an oxymoron. You know what I mean by oxymoron? Meaning it's internally inconsistent. Light affliction.

And as Hal so graciously pointed out, our Lord Jesus Christ said, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. His burden light? Give me a break. Think about the burden of the Lord Jesus Christ. You call that light? First of all, leaving His heavenly throne and then secondly, bearing about the sin of all man for all time on Calvary's cross. Light? But putting this into perspective, if Christ can say His burden is light, Think of our identification with the Lord Jesus Christ. And then that takes us on to think of your afflictions. Are they light? Is Larry's affliction with a loss of a fellow member in the workplace a light affliction? I mean, day in and day out, we would not consider our own afflictions as light. But yet, we have a truth that transcends these afflictions. And that truth is in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Think about Paul. Think about the author of this text. How do your afflictions compare with Paul's? And I don't know that we need to turn there right now. We could, if you'd like, but I think we've all been through this text repeatedly, haven't we, in 2 Corinthians 11? terms of Paul listing all the afflictions that came to him, but here's Paul saying for this light affliction, which is just for a moment. Notice the context of time here. We're going to return to that because in the next verse we have this comparison between temporal and eternal, and that's really a key understanding about how to interpret the truth of these verses. What do you think of when you think of your afflictions compared to Paul's?

They're very light. They are light, aren't they? You know, in a sense, we all get tied up into the urgency of the time in which we live. I mean, everything's on a rapid pace today. Think about it. I mean, automobiles. How about the computer system? Think of all the time-saving devices we have today compared to what we had 20 or 30 years ago.

And yet we're still all dealing with the tyranny of the urgent, right? In fact, somebody wrote a book called The Tyranny of the Urgent, which addresses the believer, actually. I'm not sure contextually whether it's a book I'm going to recommend to you because I read it a long time ago. But this light affliction really is one in which we need to be looking at through a pair of glasses that are not our own. because only when we rest in the truth of what Paul has been through to call this light, and then ultimately look at the Lord Jesus Christ with whom he identifies as saying that his yoke is easy and his burden is light, is really a lot of rest in what appears to be scripturally an oxymoron. Any other thoughts about this? I just happened to be reading this this morning.

The interesting thing is with oxen, because, you know, he relates this to a yoke, where you have two oxen pulling the yoke, and usually what they do is they have one oxen, who's a tour, who does the leading and the pulling, and a younger oxen just kind of comes along for the ride. Like a rookie, huh? So there's the picture that if we, in our identification with Christ, we go to Him and we're resting in that joy. You know, again, as we put this on on a daily existence, how do we put it on?

How many times have you said to yourself, you know, my light affliction is just but for a moment. Is that where you're at? And if you're at there, that's wonderful if you're there for the right reasons and in the right person, but I think so often, and this I think is just God's time-tinctured hourglass that continues to seemingly drip too slowly.

But this is a process. This isn't something that today we're struggling with these light reflections and tomorrow we're walking in great grace and truth and the burden is light. This is a process. And unfortunately, in many ways, we still have a lot of steps to take in this process.

So this is a truth that we ultimately bear by the power of the Spirit that we accept as true. And I think it goes back to something really incredibly important. Where's our citizenship? I mean, our citizenship's in heaven, isn't it? So remember, this is just our business address here. So these light afflictions really are part of going to work each day in these earthly bodies. Okay. Now, when we're looking at this explained in more detail, this light affliction which is but for a moment, what happens in this situation?

Well, we're told by Paul in verse 17 that it works for us, and this is the King James, it works for us a far more exceeding and eternal way to glory. What about the verb work? What are your thoughts here? Work for us. Yesterday we had part of the body working around the building here and trying to get things looking a little bit better. I was surprised to find out that there are six Greek verbs for the word work, and this is a special one. This verb for work actually means working by toil. Let's look at a couple examples of this.

Romans 5.13, let's turn there if we could. Just to give you an idea of the power behind this verb. Yeah, that doesn't look correct. 5-3. 5-3. No, it's not it there. We're close. Yeah, that's the same. That is the same use, but this is not.

Maybe it was 13-5. Maybe I did one of those paradoxes here. Let's look at 13-5. No. Well, forgive me for getting the wrong one down there, but the idea is that it's in Roman someplace. I'm just sorry I got the chapter and verse incorrect. 713, okay. Thanks a lot, Jim. 713? Oh, yeah, absolutely perfect. Correct your handout, please. It's 713. This is important, I think. It says In fact, let's get back to 11.

For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. Wherefore, the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me. by that which is good, that sin by the commandment might become exceedingly sinful."

So keep in mind now, in the flesh, this Greek verb of working, toiling, is the idea of the flesh, the sin working us unto death. It's a strong verb. I mean, if we think about the interpretation of work in terms of the toil that the flesh, the sin nature, is ultimately accomplishing by working us unto death, right? I don't know if I understand what you're saying. Well, the idea of the sin nature is toiling. It's working hard at it. This is just not working kind of around the house, okay? This is a very active, strong verb about the sin nature. And this was 713? Yes, 713. Thanks, Jim, again. I'm glad you picked up that mistake. My Bible doesn't translate either one of those words here. Well, but in the Greek, that's the verb. So, what does yours have, Marilyn?

Achieve. Achieve, but it's the same verb that we're looking at here in 2 Corinthians 4, 17. No, achieve is in 2 Corinthians. This one is. I'm having trouble. In 2 Corinthians. You're in Romans now, though. No, I know, but in 2 Corinthians, it's achieve. And I'm trying to figure out which one.

Well, in the King James, it's worketh. But the issue is, in the Greek, I'm trying to give a parallel use of the verb that really implies the strength of the verb. When you think about sin working in us unto death, that's a pretty strong and powerful use of the verb, is it not? This is the same kind of working that we see from these light afflictions. It's toiling, right? It's working hard at it. And my question to you as believers, who's toiling in us to work this into a far more exceeding internal way to glory?

Well, just turn to the next chapter in 2 Corinthians 5.5 and I think we'll get a hint at kind of what we're talking about.

In there it says, now he that hath wrought us, or works in us, for the very same thing as God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit." So there's that toiling and working out of our existence, the God nature through the power of the Spirit. So we see very strong uses of this Greek verb work in how the light affliction works for us a far more eternal weight of glory, and we're seeing that same use in terms of how sin works unto death, and also seeing that same working or toiling in us the power of the Spirit in the life of the believer. So these are all, again, I think reasonably accurate parallels that look at the strength of the verb. So these light afflictions are working very strongly, toiling, to work out these afflictions for a greater weight of glory, and it's not... we're not the ones that are toiling. I think from 2 Corinthians 5, we're seeing that that identification is ultimately what's producing the effort. Do you believe it? I mean, isn't that the issue of the walk here? It's not intellectualizing it, it's believing it. So as we put these light afflictions into context, light affliction, the oxymoron that it is, is really only but for a moment, right? And the eternal way to glory is what the Lord's about in terms of doing his own business through these afflictions.

Jack? I've been toying in the back of my mind about this light affliction stuff, you know, and I think, to me, I wonder if there's any connection there between this old nature within us is constantly working and that in itself is an affliction that we long to be rid of and yet the Holy Spirit and the power that raised Christ from the dead, that very same power is working against this old nature and the affliction it causes in our lives to redound to the glory of God. Jack, those must be connected, aren't they? I mean, whether the affliction be something outward we can identify for what it is, or whether it's the sin nature struggling within us to live in the power of the flesh, those are both afflictions, and they relate very much one to the other. It's hard to separate them, isn't it? Because our response to the afflictions, and Hal presented this so nicely a few weeks ago, It's kind of, why me? What did I do to deserve this?

I mean, the whole issue of the way we deal with these trials and tribulations in our life is always asking questions in the power of the flesh. Our immediate response is in the flesh, almost always. And Hal said something, again, I mentioned last week, but something that encouraged me a lot is just recognizing that that was the power of the flesh is, in a sense, an encouragement. That the Holy Spirit is reminding us how we responded. Boy, that lifts you up, doesn't it? you know, as you continue to focus on the old man and his response in us, there's going to be no victory. But being reminded by the Spirit that that was our response takes us on to a higher level.

Not just intellectually, but experientially. Did I answer your question, Jack? So I think the power of the flesh works with these afflictions in a very natural way that's very earthly. Yes, Marilyn. I'm confused who's working. Well, that's the question. Yeah, but the issue is they're working how? I mean, they're working to an outcome that's a far more exceeding internal way to glory. And how can that happen unless we're positionally in place?

And I'm just pointing out that in 2 Corinthians 5.5, it's God that rots in us through the power of the Spirit. same working, toiling through us in the power of the Spirit. And I'm just trying to give a cause and effect relationship as to how these afflictions ultimately work to the glory. It's by His working in us. And we're going to come back to this at the very end, but I may jump ahead just a little bit now.

What if we respond in the power of the Spirit to these, quote, afflictions, whether they be light or heavy, You know, again, I think the inflections are typically heavy, but they may be light. That's an oxymoron. Go on. Yeah. Go ahead. I was going to say, in answer to Marilyn's question, her answer is in Romans 5.3. Go ahead and read it. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations. Well, Hal, you know, again, you either are anticipating and or you're looking at the handout and acting as if you're not. Because we're actually... You know, this weight or burden of glory is really implying an exceeding and eternal, and the issue is God's glory.

In Romans 8.18, the sufferings of the present time are not worthy in terms of the glory which will be revealed in us. Now, whose glory is that? That's not our glory.

And I think how even perhaps stronger than Romans 5.3 is what we find in 1 Peter 1.6-8.

Let me put that up there. You've got this in your handout. We'll just read the verse, and we were over this verse pretty extensively in the trials and tribulations class that we had. In this she greatly rejoiced, though now for a season, if need be, you're in heaviness through manifold trials, that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found under praise and honor and glory at the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ. whom having not seen you love, and whom though now you see him not, yet believing you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." So this is in response to the trials. That our faith, notice it's our faith, that's what gives rise to the response, is much more precious than of gold that perishes. And ultimately that praise and honor and glory be to the Lord Jesus Christ because of the way we carry ourselves by faith.

Yes, Jim. I think that's what you just said there is key because that ties in with verse 13 of 2 Corinthians 4 where it says, well, having sins is a sin of faith. Yes. The context is talking about wanting the right response of faith through the whole affliction and trial situation and the right response of faith of the momentary light affliction will be producing its eternal way of glory. But one that responds to the question, we're not. We've got a light of 13 coming on down there, and if that's the response, then it'll be one of, as he's described there, producing for us an eternal way of glory.

Yeah. Great. Good point, Jim. Think about a light that's plugged into the wall, but the electricity's not on. We're connected. And in a sense, the intellect is the connection, but the switch is the power of the Spirit to live that by faith in our lives.

So when the light goes on, it's faith that's enacting this to be accepted and true to His glory. And by the way, this eternal weight of glory is bringing recognition to what? I mean, what are the ribbons here? In other words, what are the rewards of a response by faith in these light afflictions? Alright. Is that temporal or eternal or both? It's both. What about this concept of Christian rewards? Aren't we told scripturally that we are in a position to get rewards? Does this relate at all to this whole issue? No answers.

He works for us, we then live a life that we get rewards for, that we then get We take those rewards and give them back to him when he's done all the good work that we do or whatever we get the rewards for. That's all him anyway. It's kind of this circle. Okay.

Are these rewards something that we think about in terms of today's existence in regard to rewards? No. I'm sure some people do. I mean, remember, the eternal weight of glory goes to Him, and it seems to me that we're in the process here. It's not simply that we're obsolete objects here. It's our response by faith that brings about that glory.

But what do you think the rewards... I mean, I think this is related, a little tangential, but what do you think the rewards are ultimately based on as we get to heavenly places and we're being given these rewards? being in complete fellowship with Christ. But this was earthly stuff, right? Okay, so you think here that the times in which we were in complete fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ really relates to the reward table?

I mean, I think, Mike, yeah, okay. What is to come? And we can be joyful about it now, when you understand it in that manner, when you understand you can't lose it. When you understand it, and you're just beginning to see it, you can understand a little more about the glory that will be when it's fully present for you.

Well, we're in the glory now, aren't we? We are. Are we experiencing it? Are others experiencing it through us? You don't have to die to enter into that glory, you're already there. We are. And as our position becomes more increasingly transcended into our condition, the more the glory is perceived, correct, by others and ourselves too. The Rorich system, though, I think is, just in simplistic terms, not one in which we keep tabs of, right? I mean, how are you doing there in terms of putting up good marks? I mean, that's not the business, I think, of heavenly rewards.

Mike Doyle said once, I like this a lot, is that we're all in a position of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ positionally, and the better we know Him here, the closer we'll be there and everybody will be satisfied. And so that's his concept of rewards. It's a pretty good one, actually, if you think about it, because It's not us taking credit for what we've done in his name. It's in fact him taking credit for the living out of the Lord Jesus Christ by faith in our lives. I kind of like that, because remember, everybody who's saved is with the Lord Jesus Christ.

But this concept, again, I'm just giving you an opinion. This is nothing other than an opinion. The idea is that those who knew that life more closely and intimately here will be closer in existence there, but everyone will be satisfied. I kind of like that concept. Any thoughts about that at all?

So as we go through these light afflictions and we reveal that nature in us by faith, not by works. I mean, you've seen martyrs, haven't you? As I said about, you know, six or eight weeks ago in this class, haven't you seen people not of the faith actually demonstrate a stronger, you know, withholding nature through trials than many times believers do? So what's that all about? I mean, you can grit your teeth, can't you, and get through stuff? But boy, you know, God's glory and the rest is very different in those circumstances.

Other thoughts? should come after what we have done. We don't do it in order to say, I want a reward to do this. I don't think Paul scripturally ever points out a reward as something that we should be working for in the power of the flesh. That's not what's taught in a lot of churches. They're taught, do all this good work and you're going to get your reward. That's true. And that's such bad teaching. I think Paul actually teaches that the works done in the flesh will be as wood hangs. Thank you, 1 Corinthians 3 truth, right. Absolutely.

And those are the kinds that man recognizes, right? But you know, the power of the Spirit, as 2 Corinthians 5 points out, it's God that rots in us or works that toil in us by the power of the Spirit to reveal who we really are in the Lord Jesus Christ through these light afflictions.

Maybe that's why some Christians don't take trials, like you said, as those unbelievers, because the expectation is, well, I worked hard, I struggled, I did this, I did that, and the trial came anyway. And that's when their faith starts going, hey, what's going on here? And the unbeliever doesn't know any better. You know, believers and unbelievers are all of the human flesh.

And you know, people have unique personalities. I mean, how many were saved as adults here? Maybe a third of us. Has your personality really changed since you've been born again? Yes, my wife. I mean, The Holy Spirit works in us to change the manifestations of kind of our personality some, right? Because that's the power of the Spirit and the life of the believer.

However, you know, some who's quiet and shy typically doesn't become an outward person after they're saved. They're just saved quiet and shy. I mean, the issue is we're each uniquely ourselves. And so the world system, you take someone who's kind of reserved and always seems like things come along easy, and they may go through a trial and make it seem like it's easy. Although down deep, they're probably struggling, but nevertheless, on the surface, things look like they're really well-groomed.

So don't misinterpret the outward response to trials. I mean, I think as a body of believers, the Spirit will ultimately reveal God's glory as we see it. That's His work, not ours. And that's really wonderful. Well, it's an excellent point, Bob, because we have a friend who's done a believer and is going through a severe trial, but you would never know it. And whether she is hurting her teeth and not seeing it, but the point is, who gets the glory? Yeah. Who is getting the glory?

You know, you could also envision a believer who's really struggling through their trial, who's lifted up by the body and ultimately God's glory is perceived as they continue to work through the trial by His great grace in answer to prayer in their lives and the working of the Spirit.

Keep in mind, our initial response to trials is typically not a positive one, right? And again, Hal taught us so well about this. For us to say that that light affliction is just meaningless and that, oh, the Lord Jesus Christ is just living out, would be not admitting truthfully how we're really responding. But boy, by his great grace and by our faith, it ultimately becomes a light affliction.

And, you know, I mentioned this in the trials class, but as I saw my late wife kind of continue to go downhill and be taken by the Lord, boy, that wasn't my choice. But boy, there was a peace about her going home to be with the Lord that I experienced was not human. I'll tell you, and I ultimately accepted that as God's way of working. in my life to really be glorious to Him and not to me in the circumstances. It wasn't easy, but it was ultimately an ability to respond to this truth that ultimately put rubber on the road.

Okay, verse 18. For the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal. Consider the temporal. best interprets as for a season. So what do you think of when you think of for a season for you, in terms of some of these afflictions? Is that meaning for a day, or an hour, or... it's circumstantial based on what the situation is, of course. Okay, good, Larry.

I agree with that 100%. What I thought I'd do is read something to you that I think is aimed at this, although not intended to be aimed at this. How many of you have read Coates? Does anybody ever take a look at Coates in here? Some authors you just seem to kind of bond with, and this is a guy that I really bond with. There's something about the way he writes, and Miles uses some of his quotations in The Nun but the Hungry Heart, and this is a guy that I could I'm going to love to get to know him in heavenly places because this is a guy who I really, really like.

But anyway, bear with me here for a couple minutes. This is his book called Spiritual Blessings and this is a chapter on deliverance. Then in chapter 6, speaking of Romans chapter 6, you know, buried with him with baptism unto death, risen with him in newness of life, we come to the intensely solemn fact that the one who ministers the favor of God to us and has thus made himself precious to our hearts, has died here. And as we apprehend this great fact, we realize that life is not here.

That's the death sphere. Do you not think the disciples realized this in their hearts when Jesus died? The one who administered the favor of God to them and made himself everything to them went into death. This is a way in which we reach death on the privilege line.

That is, as our affections go after Christ, we find He is not here. He has died here. And our hearts count it their holy privilege to be associated with Him. Quote, know ye not that so many of us as were baptized unto Jesus Christ were baptized unto His death. And that's the temporal nature of all this stuff. Before I go further in this, I may say that there's another way of reaching death. And that is on what may be called the experimental line.

This is brought before us in the type in connection with Mara. So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea and they went out into the wilderness of Shur, and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. And when they came to Mara, they could not drink of the waters of Mara, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Mara. And the people murmured against Moses saying, what shall we drink? And he cried unto the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet.

I'm sure we have to learn that death is on things here. We may learn it on the privilege line or on the experimental line, but it must needs be learned. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. We have to learn that there is nothing here to minister to us, therefore temple, right? There is no refreshment here, not a blade of grass or a drop of water for the lambs and the sheep of Christ's flock.

We may think in our folly that if we had this or that it would minister satisfaction to us. We may set our eyes on some pleasing prospect, certain things may seem full of promise, and we may turn aside to quench our thirst at what appears to be an attractive pool, only to find that it is a delusive mirage. God will not have us find satisfaction and the things which are here.

The reason I read this is because the temporal nature identifies everything that's here. Now, I don't know about you, but he even mentions here, I didn't read this to you, that the love of books or the love of music and the love of things that we think are just so inanimate and amoral, but even those are the earth. I'm sure the heavenly music is going to put some of Beethoven's symphonies into power. So the question that I might ask is why do we get so comfortable here anyway? Right? Margaret quit chuckling.

So 1 John 2.16.17 says, For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life is not of the Father, but to the world. the world passes away and the last are of, but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever." So I'm just tying into what Larry said in response to my question.

Temporal is of the world. So, you know, the thing is we get so wrapped up and so secure in these earthly circumstances in which we're placed that ultimately much of our affliction really relates to that security blanket here. You know, the citizenship played out is one in which the afflictions here become what they really are.

They're unto death. They have no lasting value. And that doesn't mean we're not going to turn the thermostat up in our house tonight as it cools down when the sun sets, right? I mean, we still all exist within comfort zones. But these light afflictions are temporal. They're part of an earthly existence like everything else we experience on a day-to-day basis.

But where's the glory going as we respond by faith? to the source of glory. Alright, now let's consider the eternal. Boy, a whole different concept. What's eternal mean to you? Well, Webster says it means having infinite duration. That's, I think, reasonably good in terms of the English understanding of the term eternal. In the Greek, it's more specifically translated, persons and things which are endless. Same meaning, kind of twisted a bit in terms of its interpretation. Now what I've listed here for you, and we're not going to take time probably now to look at this, are all the uses of the term maternal that relates to the Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit and the believer.

So God Himself being eternal, Romans 16, 26. His power being eternal. His glory being eternal. The Holy Spirit is created before the beginning of time as much of God as the Heavenly Father. Redemption in Christ, laced in time eternity. Life in the believer, you know, for God so loved the world, the idea of eternity being wrapped up in each one of us. His future rule It was designed in eternity, and the resurrection body has been positioned and conceptualized eternally. So these are all examples of things of an eternal nature.

Now what I'd like to do here in the next few minutes to close out is Oh, in fact, we got—Margaret, that's my fault, but the order of this—anyway, I'm looking for seven here. There it is. That was four. We missed four as we got into verse 18. Let's consider the eternal some more. First of all, can you grasp this in the human mind about what eternity is? Describe it. Jim, describe eternity in terms of the God-sphere in your own concept. Well, that's a hard thing to do. To me, though, it's just intimacy with the Lord beyond description. It's farther than I can imagine. Lindy, can you tell us what eternity is? What's that mean to you? Yeah, what's that mean? What's the beginning? Tell me where this... Good, I like that, Jack.

Time has no relevance. When did eternity not begin at one time? Okay, I think I've demonstrated here that the human mind can't grasp the concept of eternity. Yeah, I mean, Well, just wait on that just a second. Okay, so eternity is really in God's domain, is it not?

This isn't even something that we're asked to understand. It's something we're asked to believe. Right, George? Yeah, okay. And yet he's programmed the ages. Let's turn to Hebrews 1, 1 and 2, just a second. Margaret, would you read that, please? Hebrews 1, 1, and 2.

God, who at sundry times and in diverse manners spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the world. And the world is translated as ages. So despite the fact that God is eternal, he has conceptualized and programmed the ages. And the concept here is that temporal, meaning things unto death of this earth and of this existence, is exceptional and inferior to God. Temporal cannot be interpreted in the same domain as, in fact, God's domain of eternity.

And that's Schaeffer's comment. I'll give him credit for that statement. All humanity intrudes into eternity. So that means every man and woman who walks now, who's ever walked, and who ever will walk relates to eternity. And if you like, for the unbeliever in Matthew and 2 Peter, we see that, you know, the fires of hell will be the eternal existence for the unbeliever.

And for the believer, the John 3.16 truth, we quote so confidently and so wonderfully.

And so the idea is here, I think, in terms of our response to these light afflictions here, being placed in eternity, we think of this as the line. And here's the temporal line of the creation of the heavens and the earth, Genesis 1 truth. And here's the end of the millennium and the ultimate casting of Satan into hell with the unbelievers for all time. And these are the ages, but yet eternities out here, and we in fact, and there's no time here, so remember, eternity is here, it's here, it's here, it's here, and we were placed in Him before the foundations of the world, right?

So this eternal concept is something that ultimately is where His glory prevails, and that's how the light affliction is to work on our lives. Things that have no clock connected to Him. And that's, I think, connected maybe to where we find ourselves one day in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. So how will our response be received here? It's not clear, but we know that God's glory will be manifested. And ultimately, His glory, I think, is really what we're ultimately about as we respond to these trials and tribulations. Any thoughts about this? Then I'll leave you with this, which is on the wall above my desk that I really, again, personally have benefited from almost each and every day as I look at it when I get up in the morning.

Live positionally crucified, risen seated. Live positively, fully persuaded. Live possessively, all things are yours. And live triumphantly, and I think that relates very much to these verses, more than conquerors. And through these light afflictions, we are more than conquerors. And it's a designed path for each and every one of us. This earthly life was never promised to be easy. But yet, His glory is the result of our acting in faith as these trials and tribulations come our way. Great. Let's bow in prayer.

Father, for your Word, we're grateful because of the rest and comfort it gives. Each and every day we put a thermometer to these afflictions that come our way in a way that we sense their ominous nature and ultimately can drive us potentially from our faith. But we know that your promises are always true. And as we look at them as an opportunity to more identify with the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, your glory is made known. We're thankful for the truth as given to us by Paul in this section of the Word, and we trust that as we go about our paths day in and day out, that your truth will be manifested by the power of the Spirit in our lives. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.