Signs and miracles heralded Who YAHSHUA was. There was no better evidence than that. No one could perform the miracles He performed; no one had the power over sicknesses and death to bring about health and life to those who were suffering. Clearly these spoke of the distinction between a human and Him. John, however, was offended in Him, for having not been aware of all that was happening; the Jews’ authority however, was offended in Him out of envy and jealousy, as they ignored and rejected all the evidences YAHSHUA presented to them confirming the words from Torah. From their beginning of being a nation, Israel was offended in God. They overlooked all the miracles God had performed for them and complained when the need arrived. Even after the most supernatural experience a human could have at Mount Sinai, they chose to make for themselves a molten calf to worship and forsook the only true God, whose signs and wonders continued to follow them to their destination to the Promised Land.
The matter of taking offense at God when we are going through trials and tribulation, is definitely denying Who He is and what His Word teaches and promises. When our senses are outraged due to unpleasant circumstances coming our way, some blame God, some go to pray, some curse Him and declare their unbelief of His existence. When prayer is not answered, some Christians take the position of being offended in Him and separate themselves from His love, resulting in the blockage of the flow of His Spirit in his life. YAHSHUA said, Blessed is he who takes no offense in me. Who can stand against the sovereignty of our Lord to question Him and demand of Him contrary to His plan? But we do. Non-aware of our actions, we do by complaining, inviting doubt, fear and anxieties to take control of our emotions, instead. The blessings will stop coming our way, as long as we remain in the mode of being offended in Him.
“Though He slays me I will trust in Him.” Job had a good relationship with God. A man of enduring faith, whose words touched many people for thousands of years; these words of faith still echoes in our hearts today. In his trials, Job showed not to be offended in God, when he declared, Shall we receive good from the hand of God and not evil to his wife, who made the decision to be offended in God shown by her foolish suggestion to renounce God and die (Job 2:9-10). The Prophet Habakkuk was another example of submissiveness, free from being offended in God no matter the trouble he was having, he declared, though the fig tree does not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines, [though] the product of the olive fails and the fields yield no food, through the flock is cut off from the fold and there are no cattle in the stalls, yes, I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the God of my salvation (Hab. 3:17-18). YAHSHUA, while being flogged hundreds of times until His body was completely deformed and His face unrecognizable, with a crown of thorn forcibly secured on His forehead, causing His body to lose more blood, to the point of dehydration, after nailed to a cross, He never took offense at those people, instead, He prayed, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” He released forgiveness.
Enslaved to offenses, the Christian loses intimacy with YAHSHUA; leading us to walk away from His purpose of sanctification. We must realize that sufferings of any kind will happen in this world of sin where we are just passing through. The Word of God is our anchor in times of trouble and our guiding light in our darkest moment. Crucified with Christ, live not I but Christ lives in me (Gal. 2:20). Dead with Christ it is to submit to His will to be free from offenses against Him. There should be no room in our soul to reject God’s sovereignty for our life. Trust your future to God; lean not in your own understanding (Prov. 3:5). Thrive to position yourself under the care of God, sing to Him praises no matter the circumstances. Know that no one has ever directed the Spirit of the Lord, or as His counselor has taught Him; He has not taken counsel, or instruction from anyone; No one has taught Him the path of justice and knowledge and has showed Him the way of understanding (Isaiah 40: 13-14)( paraphrased). Our God is worthy of honor and praises. Paul declared, Oh the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unfathomable are His judgments! And how untraceable are His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord and who has understood His thoughts, or who has been His counselor? Or who has first given God anything that he might be paid back or that he could claim recompense? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever! Amen (Rom. 11:33-36). Humbling ourselves to You, Oh God, we repent of the many times when we were offended in You through complaining and not accepting Your sovereignty over us.
Open our eyes to see Your majesty and power, and wisdom as David saw and declared: Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and Yours is to exalted as Head over all; both riches and honor come from You and You reign over all. In Your hands are power and might; in Your hands it is to make great and to give strength to all; now therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name and those attributes that Your name denotes (I Chron. 29:11-13). Amen!
