A Chinese philosopher insisted on riding his mule backward so that he would not be distracted by where he was going and could instead reflect on where he had been.
The Old Testament tells us where mankind has been. The New Testament tells us where mankind is headed.
It seems Christians today are preoccupied with where we are right now, while a few are obsessed with where we are going, and most have forgotten where they have been. Perhaps it is time to get off the donkey, and remount, backwards.
Jesus quoted from the Old Testament. He used scriptures from the five books of Moses, the Prophets, and the Writings. These were known to the Jews as the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings.
The Old Testament was the Bible Jesus used to quote important passages about Himself and His mission as the Son of Man and as the Son of God. He even quoted it to Satan.
All the images Jesus used to define Himself came from the pages of the O.T. The Lamb of God, the Good Shepherd, the Stone which the builders rejected, and the Sign of Jonah all were Old Testament images.
Psalms was the Prayer Book of Jesus.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer published a book on Psalms under Hitler’s Nazi Germany. He was fined and threatened. His argument; the Book of Psalms was the prayer book from which Jesus quoted and prayed.
Martin Luther said, “The Old Testament is a testamental letter of Christ, which He caused to be opened after His death and read and proclaimed everywhere through the Gospel.”
Jesus said, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter His Glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself.” (Luke 24:25)
Jesus Prevents Christians from Seeing Clearly Sometimes for His Purpose.
Two disciples walked along the road to Emmaus conversing about the recent happenings in Jerusalem, when Jesus came up and started walking with them. But He ‘KEPT THEM FROM RECOGNIZING HIM’, while He asked them a question.
When they urged Him to stay with them for the evening, and as He took bread and brake it, and gave it to them, their eyes were opened and they recognized Him, just as He disappeared out of their sight!
“Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us? They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.” (Luke 24:32-35)
We tend to transfer to God our feelings and reactions that we have associated with our human parents. We read the Old Testament and then ignore it, as we transfer how our parents treated us, to God. We would much rather talk about a Jesus who speaks of Love and Acceptance than the God of Jonah who is ready to destroy Nineveh!
Yet the Chinese Philosopher as well as the Son of God knew that you have to be totally aware of where you have come from, to be able to appreciate where you are going.
Maybe that is why we have to suffer so long, and seemingly unjustly as Job, in this life for 60 to 90 years, to make us appreciate where God is taking us? Without these earthly painful experiences of all manner of suffering, we could never appreciate all the joy, peace, happiness, contentment, and fulfillment which awaits those who have been redeemed by the Blood of Christ to be the Sons of God for eternity.
Maybe God blinds us to seeing clearly His involvement in our daily lives, to enable us to feel how lonely it would be without Him for eternity?
Maybe when it feels like God is absent and ignoring our pleas for His help, that He is allowing us to reflect and look backwards as to where we have been, and what we have been through?
Maybe He is showing us love instead of judgement, mercy instead of punishment, and an opportunity to judge ourselves instead of waiting to be judged after we die?
Maybe, trials, testings, sufferings of Job and yourself, can only be viewed and understood by riding backwards on the mule He has placed in your life?
Maybe all this life feels like His wrath and judgement and punishment to make us reflect what eternity will be like without His Love and Mercy?
Only after He broke the bread and gave it to them, did they understand the burning or longing in their hearts for their Lord. Only after Jesus revealed what the Old Testament writers were really saying about Him, did they rush out to tell others. Only after Jesus demonstrated His power in the garden did they fall backwards, and arise again with new respect for His Power!
Is your heart burning, longing for more of Him, for answers to your problems, for salvation and deliverance for your loved ones? Look backwards and reflect all how God has dealt with Moses, David and the Prophets, and how he has dealt faithfully with you down through the years of your life. Did He forsake any of them? Has He ever forsaken you? Has any Scriptures about Christ ever been broken? Did Job really suffer for naught? Did Jesus die in vain? Will the prayers of Christ for you and your loved ones go unanswered?
Jesus could have avenged Job of his friends sooner. He could have revealed Himself to those on the Emmaus Road sooner. He could prevent all the suffering in your life period. He could save everyone right now if He willed it. He could have avoided the cross all together. He could eliminate all the suffering in this world immediately. But He hasn’t and He doesn’t, while He also doesn’t give you nor Job an answer for why.
Job learned a lot by reflecting and you and I can also learn His love through whatever suffering He allows to come our way. Riding the mule backwards will cause others to look at you strangely, but it just may cause Jesus to open your spiritual eyes to really see how much He really does love you and yours…..He knows those who bury their desires for Him with the things of this life, and He will save them in His time and in His way…..
