This passage provides yet another comparison between those trusting in the God of the Bible and those trusting in idols. At the same time, it also provides a setting to consider God's mysterious providence in this life. From our eyes, this passage describes the death of the righteous and the ease of the wicked. But God speaks to both of His providential purposes being worked out in a way that brings peace to the righteous and despair for the rebellious.
1. Rest for the Righteous 2. Despair for the Wicked 3. God's Providence in the midst of suffering. a. God uses suffering to judge the wicked. b. God uses suffering to correct and draw the church back to Himself. c. Sometimes God's purpose is not disciplinary at all, but rather, God uses trials as a means to work out something even greater in our lives. 1) God leads us through suffering so as to deepen our faith in Him. 2) Sometimes God allows saints to suffer so that His own power may be shown, or so that His kingdom would be exalted and Satan's work destroyed. 3) Sometimes He ordains suffering so that the witness of our faith would be a shining example to those around us. 4) We can also say that God brought them rest and peace through their suffering.
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