The phrase, “Come what may” in today’s terms is largely unknown. Few understand it and even fewer live by these three words. We only see it used twice in scripture but both times offer a powerful modern parable for the direction we are headed. “Come what may” is first seen in Job 13. The imagery painted by the author is one of an exhausted Job who has become frustrated with the stance of his so called three friends. As if what Job had experienced thus far were not enough, his friends resolved that what was happening to Job must somehow be his fault. Job refuses to yield to their reflections and accusations and instead lifts up God who Job knew recognized and even allowed his plight.
“Shall not his Excellency make you afraid? And his dread fall upon you? Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay. Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will . Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand? Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation: for a hypocrite shall not come before him.” – Job 13:11-16
Job trusted God and understood him to be THE King and Job’s only salvation. After what happened in the first 12 chapters, most of us today would have abandoned God long ago but not Job. He endured the rise and tide of evil that came against him even though he did not understand it and he remained faithful to God. He continued to worship God the same way he always had. For Job and for us today, this is the first example of what it means…”Come what may”. The modern translation would sound something like this, “no matter what happens to me, my possessions, or my family I will continue to serve the Lord.”
The second example in scripture is found in 2 Samuel 18.
“Then Joab said to the Cushite, ‘Go, tell the king what you have seen.’ The Cushite bowed before Joab, and ran. Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, ‘ Come what may , let me also run after the Cushite.’ And Joab said, ‘Why will you run, my son, seeing that you have no reward for the news?’ ‘ Come what may ,’ he said, ‘I will run.’ So he said to him, ‘Run.’ Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and outran the Cushite.” – 2 Samuel 18:21-23
The king in this passage is King David and his son Absalom had just been killed in battle. The news the Cushite was to deliver was the death announcement. The Cushite witnessed the events that lead to his death but Ahimaaz had not. Therefore, Ahimaaz wanted to run because he knew he cold outrun the Cushite and gloried in his own physical abilities. If you continue to read, you will see that once Ahimaaz arrived before King David, he was told to step aside because he had no news to tell.
For Ahimaaz and most today, we are simply running for no reason. We have no news, we acknowledge worldly rulers, we glory in our own abilities and we arrive with nothing to offer or share. Albeit both references are in a negative context, the differences are staggering.
Job got it! Ahimaaz did not!
In the end, there will be no excuse for spiritual ignorance. In the end for Job he was restored, blessed, rewarded, and given one of the greatest compliments bestowed upon a man the by THE KING of KINGS. Ahimaaz, on the other hand, was subjugated, told to step aside and received none of the acknowledgement that lead to a long and prosperous life for Job.
I don’t know about you, but I would rather utter the words “Come what may” in the context expressed by Job. God wants all of us, every ounce of our being; not just our skills.
So how about you, do you choose to live Job’s “Come what may” or that of Ahimaaz?
Let come on me what will!
