The Bible is a story of holy people, God’s people, in waiting.
This is the final post in a series about the test of waiting on God. To read the previous post, click When Faith Falters. To read the first post in the series, click The Frustration of Waiting on God.
From beginning to end the Bible tells of people who had to wait on the Lord. Noah and his family waited in the ark for about 370 days for the flood to come and go. Isaac and Rebekah waited about 20 years for the Lord to open Rebekah’s womb. Jacob and Rachel waited at least 10 years for the Lord to open Rachel’s womb. That means each of the patriarchs of Israel waited long for the child they wanted.
Israel waited 400 years in Egypt until God sent Moses to deliver them from cruel bondage. Moses waited as God sent plague after plague on Egypt before bringing Israel out with the Egyptian’s gold and silver in their hands. Israel’s youngest generation walked in the wilderness for 40 years before God allowed them to enter the Promised Land.
Hannah waited in barrenness for years, all the while with her rival Peninnah belittling her for it, before she gave birth to Samuel, one of Israel’s greatest prophets. Samson’s mother waited first in barrenness. Elizabeth and Zechariah could not have a child until old age, when they became parents of John the Baptist. From the time God spoke through the last Old Testament prophet until he sent John the Baptist to prepare for Jesus, Israel waited in silence for 400 years.
After Jesus ascended to heaven, the church waited together in prayer for 10 days until Jesus poured out the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Jesus had commanded them, “Wait for the promise of the Father” (Acts 1:4).
Paul waited in jail for at least two years before going to Rome for trial, and waited there under house arrest for two more years. Jesus hung on the cross for about 360 minutes, every minute was agonizing, and many were hell. The church has waited 2,000 years for his Second Coming, but he will most certainly come.
Over and over God has tested his chosen ones by calling them to wait on him. A delay, even when extremely long, is not a sign of God’s rejection, but of his favor. Some day you will see a light in the distance and hear the clanging of a bell. Your train will pull into the station.
Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)