Some Things Are Not What They Appear to Be

Sometimes things are not what they appear. I have stared for what felt like hours into one of the magic eye books waiting to “see it”. To my shame I have put the book down many times confessing that I didn’t see it.

This happens in our Bible reading too. Remember a couple of vivid occasions in the gospel narrative: Judas kissed Jesus and we also see Peter run away. If we were there we may think that Judas was the man while Peter was tucking it and running. However, Judas was in fact the worst kind of betrayer while Peter turned out to be loyal unto death. Consider also the scene in Genesis 3, the Garden of Eden. The jewel of God’s creation, Adam and Eve, are flirting with disaster. They are being lulled to sleep by the hissing promises of the evil one. They cave and God judges. From the outside it looks like this is done. However, things are not like they appear. God says,

“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”” (Genesis 3:15)

There is the promise of adversity and ultimate triumph. The verse here still is not without some language that has us set up for something we don’t fully expect. There will be a crushing of the head by the seed of the woman but also the bruising of the heel by the offspring of the serpent.

The war comes at a frighteningly quick pace. In chapter 4 of Genesis we have fratricide; Cain kills his brother Abel because he is envious. As the Bible’s story develops people continue to kill one another. They do not value life, they do not value God’s authority, they do not value God’s promises, and they do not value God’s people. The leaders of these rebellions are seen in some serious guys: Pharaoh, Haman, Goliath, and Herod all want to snuff out the seed of the woman. At so many turns it looks like the promise is hanging in the balance. It appears like it is over. But things are not always the way they appear.

We know of course that the child of the woman has come. The Redeemer was in fact born under the law and born of a woman (Gal. 4.4.). It is Jesus, God’s own Son, who has come into the world to do battle against God’s enemies and his ultimate enemy. It is Jesus, who has gone through the enemy’s camp to plunder his spoils. It is Jesus, who has raided the demonic kingdom only to rescue his people.

But even in this, things did not appear this way.

Consider how Jesus won. Jesus died upon the cross. His opponents however, had thought that they had won. They thought they had defeated Christ. While Satan was running his victory lap around Calvary, the seed of the woman was triumphantly pressing his heel upon the serpent’s head. And, he crushed him.

When we step back, and through the lenses of the resurrection and the rest of Scripture, we can understand the truth that although things may have appeared in jeopardy, they never were. God was always and is always in complete control. He is utterly and completely sovereign.

This is very helpful for us to remember. God is not less sovereign just because we can’t understand what he is doing. Just because something is unclear to us does not mean it is unclear to God. He is never just “winging” it. In fact, the conquest of Christ over Satan was just as sure in the Garden of Eden as it was on Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. Therefore, we mustn’t fall into the trap of interpreting God’s promises and character in light of circumstances. Rather, we must interpret our circumstances in light of God’s promises and his character. And here is the abiding truth if you are a Christian: God is for you in Christ, whether or not you can see it, feel it, believe it, or whatever. It is true. Take it to the bank.

“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)

By Erik Raymond / Some Things Are Not What They Appear to Be (thegospelcoalition.org)