The Good of God's People in Times of Adversity

The goodness of God's people, often reflected in their character and actions, is a recurring theme in biblical thought, particularly in times of adversity. Names like Ithream, meaning "excellence of the people," and Eliam or Ammiel, both signifying "the people of God," suggest an inherent quality or identity associated with God's chosen ^{[1, 4, 7]}. Ammihud, meaning "people of praise," further emphasizes a characteristic response of God's people ^[8].

Scripture consistently portrays God as a stronghold for those who trust in Him during distress ^[3]. Even when facing oppression, God's people are assured of His care and deliverance ^{[14, 3]}. The salvation of the righteous comes from God, who serves as their strength in times of trouble ^[6]. This divine support is not merely passive; God actively works for the good of His people. He promises to prosper them, do them good, deliver them, comfort them, and grant them an inheritance ^[9]. This is exemplified in passages that speak of God's joy over His people, particularly in their repentance, faith, fear, prayer, hope, meekness, and uprightness ^[9].

Adversity, while challenging, is often presented as a context in which God's people demonstrate their faith and God's faithfulness. The book of Nahum declares that "The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of distress; He cares for those who trust in Him" ^[3]. Similarly, a psalm affirms that "the salvation of the righteous men shalbe of the Lord: he shalbe their strength in the time of trouble" ^[6]. The apostle Peter encourages believers to maintain good behavior among the nations, so that even when slandered as evildoers, their good works might lead others to glorify God "in a day of visitation" ^[5]. This suggests that the conduct of God's people during hardship can serve as a powerful witness.

The concept of "times" being in God's hand is significant for understanding the experience of adversity. John Gill, commenting on Psalm 31:15, notes that a person's "times of prosperity and of adversity; of darkness, desertion, and temptation; and of joy, peace, and comfort; these were all in the hands of the" divine ^[10]. This perspective suggests that even difficult periods are under God's sovereign control and serve His purposes. Gill also interprets Psalm 69:13 as Christ praying "in an acceptable time," referring to his sufferings and death, which were acceptable to God because they glorified His perfections and fulfilled His purposes ^[15]. This indicates that even the most profound suffering can be part of God's good will ^[15].

While God's goodness is constant, His dealings can involve severity, particularly towards those who fall away, while showing goodness to those who continue in His goodness ^[2]. This highlights a conditional aspect of experiencing God's goodness, tied to faithfulness. However, for those who remain faithful, God's presence is a source of strength and comfort. John Gill, in his commentary on Zephaniah 3:17, describes Christ as "in the midst of" His people, providing support, supply, assistance, strength, protection, and defense, especially through His gracious presence ^[13].

The experience of persecution is also framed within God's overarching plan. The book of Revelation calls God's holy people to "endure and remain faithful while experiencing temporary persecution" ^[12]. This implies that adversity is not an arbitrary occurrence but a period requiring steadfastness, with an ultimate purpose. Even when God answers prayers through "terrible things in righteousness," these are not necessarily afflictive dispensations but rather actions consistent with His love and for the spiritual good of His people ^[11]. The goodness of God's people, therefore, is often demonstrated and refined through their endurance and trust in God's sovereign hand during challenging circumstances.

Sources

Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Ithream — excellence of the people”
Romans “See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off. -- Romans 11:22”
Nahum “Nahum 1:7 (BSB) — The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of distress; He cares for those who trust in Him.”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Eliam — the people of God”
I Peter “I Peter 2:12 (LITV) — having your behavior good among the nations, in that which they speak against you as evildoers; by observing your good works, they may glorify God in a day of visitation.”
Psalms “Psalms 37:39 (Geneva1599) — But the saluation of the righteous men shalbe of the Lord: he shalbe their strength in the time of trouble.”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Ammiel — the people of God”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Ammihud — people of praise”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Joy of God Over His People, The — Greatness of, described -- Zep 3:17. On account of their Repentance. -- Lu 15:7,10. Faith. -- Heb 11:5,6. Fear of him. -- Ps 147:11. Praying to him. -- Pr 15:8. Hope in his mercy. -- Ps 147:11. Meekness. -- Ps 149:4. Uprightness. -- 1Ch 29:17; Pr 11:20. Leads to him Prosper them. -- De 30:9. Do them good. -- De 28:63; Jer 32:41. Deliver them. -- 2Sa 22:20. Comfort them. -- Isa 65:19. Give them the inheritance. -- Nu 14:8. Illustrated -- Isa 62:5; Lu 15:23,24. Exemplified Solomon. -- 1Ki 10:9.”
Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 31:15: My times are in thy hand,.... And not in the hand of his enemies; as his time of life and death, which was only by the direction and appointment of God, was in his power, and fixed by him; nor could his enemies take away his life before his time, and without the will of his covenant God: the time of his coming to the throne, and what was gone over him during his reign hitherto, Ch1 29:30; and all his times of trouble in it; times of prosperity and of adversity; of darkness, desertion, and temptation; and of joy, peace, and comfort; these were all in the hands of the ”
Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 65:5: By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us,.... Not by afflictive dispensations of Providence, which, though disagreeable to flesh and blood, and are sometimes terrible to good men, when they apprehend the wrath of God in them, and look upon them as punishments for sin; yet these are consistent with the love of God to them, are for their spiritual good, and, when viewed in this light, they rejoice and glory in them; but as afflictions are not prayed for, nor to be prayed for, there being no direction for it, nor example of it, they cannot be considered as”
Revelation (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Revelation 13:10: 13:10 God’s holy people are summoned to endure and remain faithful while experiencing temporary persecution.”
Zephaniah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Zephaniah 3:17: The Lord thy God in the midst of thee [is] mighty Every word carries in it something very encouraging to the church and people of God; and is an antidote against those fears and faintings they are subject to; Christ "is in the midst of" them; near at hand to support and supply them, to assist and strengthen them, to protect and defend them; he is not only near by his essential presence, which is everywhere; and by his providential presence, which is concerned with all his creatures; but by his gracious presence, peculiar to his church and people; and which gives th”
Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 12:5: For the oppression of the poor,.... The servants and people of God, who, for the most part, are poor in a temporal sense, and are all of them, and always, so in a spiritual sense, standing continually in need of fresh supplies of grace; and being often afflicted, as the word signifies, are mean and despicable in the eyes of the men of this world, and so oppressed by them, as the poor generally are by the rich; and as the people of Israel were oppressed by the Egyptians, so are the people of God by antichrist, and by his tyrannical laws and edicts, and by such haughty ”
Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 69:13: But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Lord,.... Christ betook himself to prayer in these circumstances, and not to railing and reviling again: he applied to his divine Father, and committed himself to him that judgeth righteously, and prayed both for himself and for his enemies too: and this he did in an acceptable time; or "a time of good will" (c); which was the time of his sufferings and death; so called, because the good will and pleasure of God was seen therein; in not sparing his Son, his own and only begotten Son, his beloved Son, and delivering him up to”

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