Adam & Eve Part 19: The Trial of Life

Sirach 27:5 KJVA

The furnace proveth the potter’s vessels; so the trial of man is in his reasoning.

One of my favorite scriptures. As it is both humbling and an active reminder of what this life is all about… Decisions. If you are unfamiliar with pottery a furnace is a large oven designed to solidify clay into the vessel of choice by the potter. However, the heat from the furnace is the key to unlocking the mystery as to the quality of the vessel the potter crafted. If it was not carefully molded it will burst in the furnace. I know from experience having crafted a number of various vessels. I ended up losing one in the proving grounds of the furnace. Our trial in life is similar. But first let us get a definition of “trial” using dictionary.com:

1. Law.

   1. the examination before a judicial tribunal of the facts put in issue in a cause, often including issues of law as well as those of fact.

      
      

   2. the determination of a person's guilt or innocence by due process of law.

      
      
2. 
   

3. the act of trying, testing, or putting to the proof.

   
   

4. test; proof.

   
   

5. an attempt or effort to do something.

   
   

6. a tentative or experimental action in order to ascertain results; experiment.

   
   

7. the state or position of a person or thing being tried or tested; probation.

   
   

8. subjection to suffering or grievous experiences; a distressed or painful state:comfort in the hour of trial.

   
   
   
   

9. an affliction or trouble.

   
   

10. a trying, distressing, or annoying thing or person.

    
    

As you can see, trial has many definitions. I however, want to direct your attention to a few in particular. Which I took the liberty of highlighting for you in bold. The main context we need to understand is the thing that is testing us or trying us as man; that is mankind. Is our reasoning. Which is defined in dictionary.com as:

1.   the act or process of a person who reasons.

   
   

2. the process of forming conclusions, judgments, or inferences from facts or premises.

   
   

3. the reasons, arguments, proofs, etc., resulting from this process.

   
   

Reasoning is beyond just ones thoughts but has everything to do with the train or process of those thoughts. How you form judgements and conclusions and the actions you take as a result. So we become more enlightened to the fact that this world is set up as a live test to see what decisions we will make in life based on the law to determine if we are innocent or guilty accordingly, in order to ultimately be judged worthy or unworthy of eternal life in the end. You have a choice every moment of every day.

2 Esdras 7:1-5 KJVA

1 And when I had made an end of speaking these words, there was sent unto me the angel which had been sent unto me the nights afore: 2 And he said unto me, Up, Esdras, and hear the words that I am come to tell thee. 3 And I said, Speak on, my God. Then said he unto me, The sea is set in a wide place, that it might be deep and great. 4 But put the case the entrance were narrow, and like a river; 5 Who then could go into the sea to look upon it, and to rule it? if he went not through the narrow, how could he come into the broad?

So now we are given a similitude. Many of us know of the sea, we call it the ocean. It is vast and deep. But now imagine if the only way to get to that ocean (or any ocean for that matter) was through a river. How could you get to the beauty of the ocean and see its magnificence if you did not go through the river?

2 Esdras 7:6-8 KJVA

6 There is also another thing; A city is builded, and set upon a broad field, and is full of all good things: 7 The entrance thereof is narrow, and is set in a dangerous place to fall, like as if there were a fire on the right hand, and on the left a deep water: 8 And one only path between them both, even between the fire and the water, so small that there could but one man go there at once.

Now, there is another similitude. This one however, is going in the direction of relevance and connecting the dots for many people. What if a large city were built (or rather a kingdom). Set in a an abundant place with all beautiful things. But the entrance is narrow but not just narrow it is set up to be in a dangerous place where you could fall and die. And on one side you have a wall of fire and the other a wall of water. So if you fall to one side you will ultimately burn to death. While if you fall to the other side you will ultimately drown to death. And to make matters worse, the path is only big enough for one person to squeeze through at a time. Letting you know there is virtually no wiggle room.

9 If this city now were given unto a man for an inheritance, if he never shall pass the danger set before it, how shall he receive this inheritance? And I said, It is so, Lord. 10 Then said he unto me, Even so also is Israel’s portion.

Now you understand the full measure of what we are dealing with… The battle for the kingdom of heaven. This is our trial. We must overcome the danger and all of the obstacles to be found worthy of the reward of the kingdom of heaven. If we don’t fight, if we just give up and quit or allow ourselves to succumb to the wills of satanic through lust and sin, we will never receive the reward that is laid up for us. This is our portion, this is our fight. So fight we must.

Sirach 2:5 KJVA

For gold is tried in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of adversity.

Gold is purified in the flames that melt and mold it. So too are we purified and tested through the adversity and trials we endure through this world. We are the gold, adversity our fire.

Isaiah 48:10 KJVS

Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

God has chosen us and with that comes the honor of being tested through tribulations and sufferings that we might have glory in the end. And our glory will also be glory unto the living God. For it shows his promise and his word is true.

2 Esdras 7:15-16 KJVA

15 Now therefore why disquietest thou thyself, seeing thou art but a corruptible man? and why art thou moved, whereas thou art but mortal? 16 Why hast thou not considered in thy mind this thing that is to come, rather than that which is present?

You should not be troubled, you should not be upset nor full of fear. We are corruptible born of flesh and blood and subject to death. No matter how long of a life we live In this world, it is temporary. And we must leave off of the weak carnal nature and look towards the spiritual one. Setting our mind more on the things above and to come rather than the things that are and will later fade away.

2 Esdras 7:17-18

17 Then answered I and said, O Lord that bearest rule, thou hast ordained in thy law, that the righteous should inherit these things, but that the ungodly should perish. 18 Nevertheless the righteous shall suffer strait things, and hope for wide: for they that have done wickedly have suffered the strait things, and yet shall not see the wide.

We cannot waste time dwelling on wishing things were different. If we didn’t have to go through all of this. You are already here. You must make do with what you have. If you fight for righteousness till death or kingdom come, the Lord will grant you an eternal reward. If not you will receive eternal judgment. The choice is yours.

2 Esdras 7:20 KJVA

For there be many that perish in this life, because they despise the law of God that is set before them.