Gradually, Then Suddenly

“I am the Lord; in its time I will hasten it.”

A friend and I were talking recently about societal decline and the speed with which it occurs. One writer at least has used the phrase “gradually, then suddenly” to describe it. It’s rather like years of erosion followed by an earthquake. First comes a long period in which the foundations are quietly destroyed one after another, then, with alarming speed, the entire house collapses at the tiniest temblor.

God sometimes accomplishes his purposes similarly: gradually, then suddenly.

Translators render the Hebrew of Isaiah 60:22, which I have quoted above, in a variety of helpful ways. I like many of them:

• “In its time I will do this swiftly.” (NIV)
• “At the right time I will make it happen.” (New Living)
• “When the time comes, I will quickly do all this.” (Contemporary English)

Gradually, then suddenly. A long period of apparent silence followed by abrupt forward motion.

Reading over Israel’s Shoulder

In context, God’s promise through Isaiah concerns the restoration of Jerusalem during the millennial reign of Christ. It concludes a chapter in which Zion will become the center of worship for the entire world; in which long-lost descendants of the twelve tribes scattered abroad will finally be gathered home; in which nations that now rage at Israel will shower its people with honor and riches; in which the gates of Jerusalem will be open to the world; in which riches and glory will be the lot of God’s earthly people. We are currently living in the “gradual” part, in which people say, “All things are continuing as they were.” The “suddenly” part is imminent, and will be catastrophic.

As with much that Isaiah wrote, there’s not a word in here about the Church or about what you and I may be up to during this thousand year reign of Christ, or how we ought to conduct ourselves in view of it. Nevertheless, all scripture is profitable, as someone once wrote. When we observe the way God accomplishes his purposes in the lives of others, we may draw legitimate inferences about how the Lord may choose to work in our own experience.

Waiting and Not Waiting

The writers of the Old Testament laud the merits of waiting on the Lord to accomplish his purposes at least seven times (Psalms 27:14; 37:9, 34; 123:2; Proverbs 20:22; Isaiah 8:17 and 40:31), often accompanied by promises of renewed strength, salvation, exaltation and even the inheritance of the earth. Bible history also shows repeatedly that those who refused to wait on the Lord and took matters into their own hands ended up regretting it. As Isaiah puts it elsewhere:

“Woe to those who say: ‘Let him [God] be quick, let him speed his work that we may see it; let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near, and let it come, that we may know it!’ ”

There are times when waiting for God to work seems a pointless exercise, but woe to those who presume to demand he perform for them on cue. God does not move at our bidding or at our anticipated pace. He does not exist for our amusement. It’s not all about you or me. Thousands upon thousands of believers over the centuries have entered the presence of the Lord still eagerly awaiting the fulfillment of one or another of his promises. Nevertheless, all his promises remain certain and sure.

Exceeding Expectations

The same God who promised to bless Israel has made assurances big and small to Church Age believers. We can reasonably expect him to work much the same way when we genuinely ask in the name and for the glory of the Lord Jesus: gradually, then suddenly.

Just off the top of my head, three personal requests come to mind, all met in ways far exceeding my expectations. But the answers came abruptly after five years, eight years and over ten years of near-daily prayer. Nothing, nothing, nothing ... then in no time at all, every necessary piece of the puzzle fell into place one after another.

All these events are well into the past now, and I still find myself rejoicing over them. When you’ve seen that happen a few times, you don’t quit praying or lose hope. You develop a deep-seated conviction that God’s eventual response to the eager expectations of his children will be even more spectacular than anything we have imagined or requested.

Gradually, then suddenly. Whatever it is you are praying for the Lord to do, don’t give up. The answer may be right around the corner, but you almost surely won’t see it coming until it arrives.