Micah 7:8
"Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a Light unto me."
There are often seasons of affliction and oppression that the LORD ordains for His people to endure. Many of these times are filled with darkness, where it appears that God has completely withdrawn His presence. The child of God may find no comfort until the LORD is pleased to give the Light of His presence and cause it to shine in their heart once again.
As His children, God will grant His Spirit of repentance to look to the LORD Jesus Christ alone, Who is the Light of those who sit in darkness. He gives them the patience of Job to endure the trial and not charge God with sin or evil (Job 1:22). When we are tempted to complain to the Lord about our affliction, it is the pride of the flesh making us think that we deserve better. But then, the LORD mercifully reminds us of what our LORD Jesus endured to save us and present us righteous and faultless before God the Father. Consider what He endured to satisfy the Father so that He might be just in justifying each one for whom He paid the debt. "For consider Him that endured such contradiction from sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds" (Hebrews 12:2).
In the heat of the trial, we would do well to complain against ourselves rather than find fault with God or wonder why He is exercising us as He is. The comfort is, as the Word declares: "For whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth" (Hebrews 12:6). Knowing that it is in love that God is chastening us, we ought not to complain about the evil of the affliction. Rather, we should complain about the evil of our hearts. Through the exercise of our souls, the LORD weans us from any confidence in the flesh and causes us to depend completely on Him to work deliverance in His due time. What is clear is that if the LORD Jesus paid our horrific sin debt, He cannot leave us to ourselves. Just as a father disciplines his children, the LORD will do the same in us—not only to look to Him for light and comfort but to look for Him to be that Light and Comfort through the trial. In our greatest distresses, we will see no reason to despair of salvation, because, being the LORD's by His electing, redeeming, and effectual grace, He gives each one the Faith to look to and rest in Christ alone as ALL their salvation. The LORD grants the Faith to look to the Lord Jesus Christ Himself as the God of their salvation.
Although enemies may appear to triumph for a while through their insults and attacks, we know that in the LORD's time, they will be silenced and put to shame. When Micah prophesied these words, it was 150 years before Jerusalem would be destroyed by the Babylonians. Yet, foreseeing the devastation of the destruction of Jerusalem, he prophesied of Hope in the coming Messiah for an elect remnant (Micah 5:2). The lesson for us is that even though Zion's walls (the Church) might remain in ruins for a time, there would come a day when they would be repaired. Historically, Israel was brought back after 70 years of captivity, and it was the LORD who drew them back from their dispersion. Therefore, they were to find comfort in His Grace and Mercy toward them. Though our enemies may seem to prevail against us and rejoice over us, we should not despair. Though cast down, we are not destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:8-11). We may join hope in God's mercy, with submission to His correction. No hindrances can prevent the favors that the Lord has purposed for His elect children.
It is against the backdrop of the darkest times that the Light shines the greatest. "The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death, light is sprung up" (Matthew 4:16). Like the moon that shines brightest against the darkest sky, God's children are made to see Christ. The darker and deeper the sin, the greater and more glorious the Savior shines!
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