Doubt Means Vanity

“Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.” (Ps 78:33 AV)

Again, the context is the unbelief of Israel.  In particular, the reader is to note one word and contemplate one thought.  Note the word ‘…vanity…’  This means without purpose, profit, or point.  Mere existence without any real objective or worth.  The Nation of Israel repeatedly failed the LORD and because they did, a generation did nothing but wander on the wilderness and die off in the end.  There is nothing sadder than a life with no purpose.  Mere existence is no existence at all.

There was a day when this was my reality.  In fact, it wasn’t a day, it was a year and a half.  The worst year and a half of the entire of this life.  We were serving in a small country church and through events of that church, we had no other choice but to leave this body of believers.  There was such a significant difference of philosophy of ministry that we realized we were not compatible.  We tried.  Our desire to stay and serve in any and all ways which the pastor and LORD wished us to was firm.  But the Pastor simply would not have it.  We were not causing any trouble.  We were fully submitted to his authority and wishes.  He was simply not desirous that we stay.  So, we left.  That left us in the wilderness without a church of like faith in which to serve.  This is all we wished to do.  All we wanted to do was to find our home and serve.  The LORD saw fit to keep us on the side of that mountain for a year and a half without any local church within reasonable distance to which we could be faithful enough to serve.  We were being consumed away in vanity.  Pointlessness.  Not because of our lack of faith.  We had lack of opportunity.

For Israel, it was a lack of faith.  A lack that God would protect them in battle.  A lack of faith in the law which He gave.  A lack of faith in the future of provision.  A lack of faith in the leadership God provided.  They were unwilling to trust the LORD so the LORD left them to themselves.  This resulted in a life of vanity.  No point to it.  Self-indulgence can be only so satisfying.  We need something bigger than ourselves to give ourselves over to that our life might have meaning.  Without that, it is all vanity.  Better to walk by faith then to have no reason to exist.