When the Time of Suffering Ends

When the Time of Suffering Ends

Isaiah 51:21 – So listen to this, oppressed one, who is drunk, but not from wine!  22 – This is what your sovereign master, the LORD your God, says: “Look, I have removed from your hand the cup of intoxicating wine, the goblet full of my anger. You will no longer have to drink it. 23 – I will put it into the hand of your tormentors who said to you, ‘Lie down, so we can walk over you.’ You made your back like the ground, and like the street for those who walked over you.”

In previous verses Jerusalem is told to wake up – their children are faint from the constant suffering, but the time is coming when the cup will be taken from the oppressed and given to the oppressor.

Jesus Himself held the cup in His own hands.  He knows what it is like to drink from the cup of His Father’s anger.  Read the words for yourself:  Matthew 26:38 – Then he said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me.” 39 – Going a little farther, he threw himself down with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if possible, let this cup pass from me! Yet not owhat I will, but what you will.” 40 – Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, “So, couldn’t you stay awake with me for one hour? 41 – Stay awake and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but eh flesh is weak.” 42 – He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will must be done.”  43 – He came again and found them sleeping; they could not keep their eyes open. 44 – So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same thing once more.

The cup of God’s anger.  Was the Father angry at Jesus?  No, He was pleased with Jesus.  Why, then, give Him the cup of anger?  The cup of suffering?  Why, then, give good people the cup of anger, if God is pleased with them as well?  These are tough questions that can only be answered as we look at Jesus Christ and how He suffered.  As we can see in the verses of Isaiah – the people of Jerusalem are practically ‘punch drunk’ on suffering.  But the time comes when the cup is taken away.  When Jesus awoke from death – the cup was no longer in His hands.  Jesus succeeded in making a way for you and I to be saved!

Ever feel like you’re a doormat being abused and walked all over by others who happily take advantage of you?  Jesus knows who you are.  He knows how hard it is.  He knows how near impossible it is to get out of such situations.  These verses offer hope.  One day you will awake.  Jesus will awaken you and your situation will be different.  Your suffering will be over and the cup that you drank from in this life will be in the hands of your oppressors – and they won’t escape until they have consumed every drop of God’s wrath.

Jesus said it perfectly when He told the parable of the rich man and Lazarus: Luke 16:24 – So he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish in the fire.’ 25 – But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish.

Jesus can be seen in every one of His suffering children who have had to drink the cup of wrath in this life.  If we take the time to ease the suffering of the oppressed – Jesus counts it as doing it for Him. “I tell you the truth, just as you did for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’ – Matthew 25:40.

The time of suffering will come to an end.  Be encouraged. Don’t lose hope.  Ease the suffering of others and patiently endure your own trials.  Jesus knows you and He loves you and He’s going to save you!