Though violence rages today, the saint of God can find great comfort in knowing that violence is only a temporary attribute of living. There is coming a day when violence will no longer find place amongst mankind. Isaiah relayed this truth to his people when he stated that there would come a time when “Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.” Although the conditions and timing may vary for the Jews and the church of God, the reality of a future void of violence remains constant. One day, hopefully soon, each believer will find himself in the presence of the very God who will cause all violence to cease.
The world would have us believe that riches belong to those of greatest sophistication while poverty tends to induce violence. However, the truth testifies otherwise. In Micah 6:12, the Bible speaks of a time when the rich were “full of violence.” In like manner, Amos spoke of those who would “store up violence and robbery in their palaces” (Amos 3:10). Asaph spoke of “the prosperity of the wicked” (Psalm 73:3) and that “violence covereth them as a garment” (Psalm 73:6). Riches do not remove a man’s desire for violence. In fact, riches often promote a man’s hunger for it. Many have suggested that poverty lies at the root of much of the violence in the world; however, the scriptures teach otherwise.
Life’s trials and difficulties are intended to draw people into a deeper knowledge of the Lord. However, murmuring hinders the lessons that result from the trials. The Lord uses trials to draw the unsaved to an understanding of their need to trust Jesus Christ as Saviour. At the same time, the Lord uses trials to teach saved people that they need to fully rely on Him and Him alone. These trials are meant to better the individual afflicted. However, the benefits of trials can be minimized when those enduring the trials begin to murmur and complain about the very thing intended to teach them. Murmuring hinders the education offered by trials. It puts the focus on the apparent wrong of the trial rather than upon what lesson the Lord might hope to come from the trial.
