At the end of time,
billions of people were scattered on a great plain before God's throne. Most
shrank back from the brilliant light before them. But some of the groups near
the front talked heatedly - not with cringing shame but with belligerence. 'Can
God judge us?'
'How can he know
about suffering?' snapped a pert young brunette. She ripped opened a sleeve
to reveal a tattooed number from the Nazi concentration camp. 'We endured
terror ... beating ... torture ... death!'
In another group a
black man lowered his collar. 'What about this?' he demanded, showing an ugly
rope burn. 'Lynched for no crime but being black!'
In another crowd, a
pregnant schoolgirl with sullen eyes. 'Why should I suffer?' she murmured. 'It
wasn't my fault.'
Far out across the
plain were hundreds of such groups. Each had a complaint against God for the
evil and suffering he had permitted in his world. How fortunate God was to live
in heaven where all was sweetness and light, where there was no weeping or fear,
no hunger or hatred! What did God know of all that men had been forced to endure
in this world? For God leads a pretty sheltered life, they said.
So, each of these
groups sent forth their leader, Chosen because he had suffered the most. A Jew,
a black, a person from Hiroshima, a horribly disabled arthritic, a thalidomide
child. In the centre of the plain they consulted with each other.
At last they were
ready to present their case. It was rather clever. Before God could be qualified
to be their judge, he must endue what they had endued. Their verdict was that
God should be sentenced to live on earth - as a man! Let him be born a Jew. Let
the legitimacy of his birth be doubted. Give him a work so difficult that even
is family will think him out of his mind when he tried to do it. Let him be
betrayed by his closest friends. Let him face false charges. Let him be tried by
a prejudiced jury and convicted by a cowardly judge. Let him be tortured. At
last, let him see what it means to be terribly alone. Then let him die in agony.
Let him die so that there can be no doubt that he died. Let there be a whole of
witnesses to verify it.
As each leader
announced the portion of his sentence. Loud murmurs of approval went up from the
people assembled. When the last had finished pronouncing sentence there was a
long silence. No one moved.
For suddenly all
knew that God had already served his sentence.
Having
heard John’s preaching ministry I acknowledge and recommend the book
Page created 31 May 2006