THIS TOO SHALL PASS: No Situation Remains Forever
2 CORINTHIANS 4:17
"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."
One of the most common phrases found throughout the Bible is the phrase "it came to pass." This phrase appears over 400 times in the King James Version of the Bible, and it highlights an important truth - that nothing in this world lasts forever. Every situation, circumstance, and condition we find ourselves in is temporary.
The Bible makes it clear that "this too shall pass." No matter how difficult or desperate our current situation may be, it will not last forever. Likewise, no matter how good or prosperous our circumstances may be, that too will not last forever. All things in this world are fleeting and temporary.
This is an important truth for us to grasp, because it helps us keep the ups and downs of life in perspective. When we are going through a hard time, it reminds us that our current struggle will not last forever. And when we are enjoying good times, it keeps us from becoming complacent or overly attached to our blessings, knowing that they too will one day fade away.
Let's consider several examples from the Bible where the phrase "it came to pass" is used to illustrate this important principle. We will see how God uses changing circumstances to accomplish His purposes, to test and refine His people, and to draw us closer to Himself. My prayer is that by the end of this message, you will have a deeper understanding and appreciation for the temporary nature of all earthly things, and a greater hope in the eternal and unchanging nature of God.
THE CALL OF ABRAHAM
Let's begin by looking at the story of Abraham, found in the book of Genesis. In Genesis 12, we read:
"Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing" (Genesis 12:1-2).
God calls Abram (later renamed Abraham) to leave his familiar homeland and travel to an unknown land. This must have been a very unsettling and uncertain time for Abram. He was being asked to uproot his entire life and step out in faith to an unknown destination.
But the text says, "it came to pass." Abram obeyed God's call, and "Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him" (Genesis 12:4). Abram's circumstances changed - he went from living in his familiar hometown to embarking on a journey to an unknown land. But this was just the beginning of God's plan for Abram's life.
Later in Genesis 15, we read that God makes a covenant with Abram, promising him that he will become the father of a great nation and that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars (Genesis 15:5). Yet, up to this point, Abram and his wife Sarai were still childless. Their circumstances had not yet aligned with God's promise.
But again, the text says, "it came to pass." In Genesis 21, we read the amazing account of the birth of Isaac, Abram and Sarai's long-awaited son. After years of waiting and trusting in God's promise, Abram and Sarai's circumstances had changed - they were no longer childless, but had been blessed with a son.
The story of Abraham teaches us that no matter how permanent or unchanging our circumstances may seem, they are always temporary. God was able to take Abram from his comfortable life in Haran to the unknown land of Canaan. And He was able to take Abram and Sarai from a state of childlessness to the joyful birth of their son Isaac.
Abram's story reminds us that our current situations, whether good or bad, will not last forever. They "came to pass" as God worked out His plan for Abram's life. And the same is true for our lives - God is always at work, orchestrating the changes and transitions we face to ultimately bring about His perfect will.
JOSEPH'S TRIALS AND TRIUMPH
Another powerful example of the truth that "no situation remains forever" is found in the life of Joseph. Joseph's story is one of extreme highs and lows, but through it all, we see the hand of God at work.
Joseph starts out as the favored son of his father Jacob. But his brothers become jealous of him, and they conspire to get rid of him. They end up selling him into slavery and telling their father that he was killed by a wild animal (Genesis 37).
This must have been a devastating and hopeless situation for Joseph. One moment he was living in the comfort of his father's house, and the next he found himself a slave in a foreign land. It seemed like his dreams and aspirations had been completely shattered.
But the text says, "it came to pass." Joseph's circumstances did not remain that way forever. Through a series of events, Joseph rose to a position of great power and influence in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself (Genesis 41). What had started out as a horrific tragedy was now turned into a remarkable triumph, as God used Joseph's trials to ultimately elevate him and position him to save his family and the entire nation of Egypt from a devastating famine.
Later, when Joseph finally reveals himself to his brothers, he tells them, "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive" (Genesis 50:20). Joseph recognized that his brothers' evil actions against him were part of God's sovereign plan to position Joseph exactly where he needed to be.
Joseph's life is a powerful testimony to the fact that no situation, no matter how dire or hopeless it may seem, remains forever. God is able to take the most unimaginable circumstances and use them for His greater purposes. Just as "it came to pass" that Joseph went from the pit to the palace, so too can God turn our own trials and tribulations into triumphs, if we will trust in Him.
THE EXILE AND RETURN OF GOD'S PEOPLE
We see this principle of "it came to pass" illustrated on a larger, national scale in the story of God's people, Israel. Time and again, we see Israel go through periods of blessing and prosperity, followed by seasons of judgment and exile.
In 2 Kings 24-25, we read the tragic account of how the kingdom of Judah was conquered by the Babylonian empire. The people were carried away into exile, the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, and the land lay desolate. It must have seemed like the end for the people of God. Their circumstances had gone from blessing to ruin.
But the prophets declared, "it came to pass." God had not abandoned His people. Though they faced a season of judgment and hardship, it would not last forever. In the book of Ezra, we read the amazing account of how, 70 years later, God moved the heart of the Persian king Cyrus to issue a decree allowing the Israelites to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple (Ezra 1).
What had "come to pass" was a time of exile and judgment. But now, a new era had dawned - a time of restoration and renewal for God's people. Their circumstances had changed yet again, this time from exile back to the promised land.
This pattern continues throughout Israel's history. They would experience periods of obedience and blessing, followed by times of disobedience and discipline. But no matter how bleak their circumstances became, God always remained faithful to His covenant promises. Israel's story reminds us that even when it seems like God has abandoned us, He is still working behind the scenes to accomplish His perfect will.
THE LIFE AND MINISTRY OF JESUS
Perhaps the greatest example of the truth that "no situation remains forever" is found in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Jesus' earthly life was marked by dramatic changes and transitions, which ultimately culminated in His death on the cross and His glorious resurrection.
At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist and affirmed by God as His beloved Son (Matthew 3:16-17). This was the joyful commencement of His public work. But immediately after this, "it came to pass" that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil for 40 days (Matthew 4:1).
What a dramatic shift in circumstances! One moment Jesus was receiving the affirmation of the Father, and the next He was facing the fierce onslaught of the enemy in the desert. But this too "came to pass," and Jesus emerged victorious, ready to begin His earthly ministry.
Throughout His time on earth, Jesus faced a constant roller coaster of changing circumstances. He experienced times of great popularity and acclaim, as crowds flocked to hear His teaching and witness His miracles. But He also faced intense opposition and hostility from the religious leaders who sought to undermine and destroy Him.
Jesus life reached its climactic moment on the cross. Here, His circumstances seemed to be at their darkest - He was betrayed, abandoned, and condemned to a cruel and unjust death. It must have appeared to His followers that all was lost. But once again, the text declares, "it came to pass."
Three days later, Jesus rose triumphantly from the grave, conquering sin and death forever. What had seemed like the ultimate tragedy was now revealed to be the greatest victory in all of history. Jesus' resurrection proved that no situation, no matter how bleak, remains forever. Even death itself could not hold Him.
In the end, Jesus' life, death, and resurrection demonstrate that the only constant in this world is the sovereign plan and purposes of God. All else is temporary and subject to change. But through it all, God is working out His eternal designs, and we can trust that He will bring about His perfect will, even when our circumstances seem most dire.
As we have seen from these examples, the phrase "it came to pass" is a powerful reminder that nothing in this world lasts forever. Our circumstances, whether good or bad, are all temporary and subject to change.
This truth should free us from the trap of trying to cling to the fleeting pleasures and comforts of this world. We must learn to hold our earthly blessings and possessions with an open hand, recognizing that they will one day "come to pass" away.
Likewise, this truth should give us hope and courage in the midst of our trials and struggles. No matter how hopeless or overwhelming our current situation may seem, we can be assured that "it shall come to pass" - that this too will change, and that God is working all things together for His good purposes.
The writer of Ecclesiastes puts it this way: "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted" (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2).
All of life is marked by constant change and transition. Nothing remains the same. But amid all the ups and downs, we can find steadfast hope and comfort in the eternal, unchanging nature of our God. As the psalmist declares, "The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust" (Psalm 18:2).
So let us not be dismayed by the changing circumstances of life. Instead, let us fix our eyes on the one who remains the same "yesterday, and to day, and for ever" (Hebrews 13:8). For no matter what "comes to pass" in our lives, we can be assured that our God is in control, working out His perfect plan. And one day, when all earthly things have passed away, we will dwell forever in His unchanging presence.