2002-01-01
Good Morning Faithful Ones,
This morning, the Lord directs me to stories from both the OT and the NT in His effort to reveal His attributes as El Elyon, the Most High God, to all of us. One of the greatest examples of the blessings of enduring in faith comes from the book of Job. The story of Job is also a place where we can see the ultimate sovereignty and superiority of El Elyon. There are many lessons the Lord wants us to learn from this remarkable book of the OT. He wants us to know that suffering we must endure because of our faith is not suffering in vain. And, He wants us to take comfort in knowing that He is, through Christ, the ultimate victor over the adversary [REV 20: 10]. So let’s look more closely at how God reveals Himself in the story of Job.
JOB 1:1, “There was once a man named Job, living in the land of Uz, who worshipped God and was faithful to Him. He was a good man, careful not to do anything evil.” Job was wealthy, prosperous, and had a large family. He would offer sacrifices to God for each of his children in order to purify them (5). JOB 6-8, “When the day came for the heavenly beings to appear before the Lord, Satan was there among them. The Lord asked him, ‘What have you been doing?’ Satan answered, ‘I have been walking here and there, roaming around the earth.’ ‘Did you notice My servant Job?’ the Lord asked. ‘There is not one on earth as faithful and good as he is. He worships Me and is careful not to do anything evil.’ “ Satan’s response was to say that God had always protected Job and his family. Then, he said in (11b), “Suppose you take away everything he has -he will curse You to Your face.” The Lord agreed to let Satan test Job and that the adversary could do everything but take Job’s very life in this test.
What ensues is a long series of tests in which Job loses his family, his possessions, and his health. All the while he engages in on on-going discussion with his friends, Eliphaz, Elihu, Bildad, and Zophar. They take the approach that Job’s suffering must have been a punishment God was delivering because of some sin he committed and of which he hasn’t repented. God doesn’t answer Job’s questions, but He does respond to Job’s faith by overwhelming him with a poetic picture of His divine power and wisdom. JOB 28: 23-28 is an example of this. “God alone knows the way, knows the place where wisdom is found. Because he sees the ends of the earth, sees everything under the sky. When God gave the wind its power and determined the size of the sea; when God decided where the rain would fall, and the path that the thunderclouds travel; it was then He saw wisdom and tested its worth- He gave it His approval. God said to men, ‘To be wise, you must have reverence for the Lord. To understand, you must turn from evil.’ “Job then, humbly acknowledges God as wise and great and repents of some wild and angry words he had used. JOB 42: 12, “The Lord blessed the last part of Job’s life even more than He had blessed the first...” The bottom line is that even with all the suffering Satan caused in Job’s life, Job’s faith remained intact. In the end, God was victorious over Satan. That’s how He brings victory to our lives when we resist the temptation to desert our faith.
El Elyon imparts authority and power to His Son, Jesus Christ. We know this from JN 14: 9 & 11. “Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father…Believe Me when I say I am in the Father and the Father is in Me.” Like El Elyon, Christ is omniscient (knows all). That is how Christ could accurately predict Peter’s denial of Him in LK 22: 31-34. “Simon, Simon! Listen! Satan has received permission to test all of you, to separate the good from the bad, as a farmer separates the wheat from the chaff. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you turn back to Me, you must strengthen your brothers.’ Peter answered, ‘Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you and die for you!’ ‘I tell you, Peter,’ Jesus said, ‘the rooster will not crow tonight until you have said three times that you do not know Me.’ “ Students of the Scriptures know that Peter went on to serve a wonderful ministry bringing faith to many people in Jerusalem [MT 16: 18-19]. El Elyon’s omnipotence and supremacy over Satan is seen once again, just as it was in Job’s story. Satan is given permission to test the faith of Christ’s disciples, but once again will not win the day. It is God’s will and not Satan’s that is done in the end.
The truth of God’s sovereignty is a compelling reason why we should reach for God’s perspective on the suffering we must endure, just as Christ did. RO 5: 3-4, “We also boast of our troubles, because we know that trouble produces endurance, endurance brings God’s approval, and His approval creates hope.” When we see how God interacts with people like Job, Christ’s disciples, and even Christ Himself, we can take comfort in the supremacy He demonstrates. His power and His compassion show through. His righteousness rises up like an eagle and gives us the comfort of knowing He will protect and provide for the needs of His children. We can know that despite the fact that we must be soldiers on the front lines of spiritual warfare, He has equipped us to be victorious when we have faith, trusting and obeying Him. His patience for us when we sin and then truly repent is exemplified by His patience with people like Job and Peter. His compassion in bringing justice in His perfect timing against His (and our) enemies can be seen over and over again throughout the Scriptures. We can believe RO 8: 28, “We know that in all things God works for good with those who love Him, those whom He has called according to His purpose.”
PRAYER: O Lord, You know that we must suffer when we choose the narrow path You have opened for us through the death of Your Son on the cross. We are subjected to prejudice, persecution, and some times even martyrdom when we endure in our faith. However, when we conform to Your will, You give us the sign that is the peace that goes beyond human understanding [PHIL 4: 7]. Stories like that of Job, Peter, and even the Son remind us of Your faithfulness, love for us, and willingness to keep promises. Your compassion for Your children and justice in dealing with them is seen throughout the Scriptures. Though them, You give us a way to reach toward Your perspective on things like suffering. We see the power You have and learn how You have equipped us for victory in the spiritual warfare we must do. Job’s story in particular is a beautiful demonstration of this. EPH 5: 20 tells us, “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, always give thanks for everything to God the Father.” Today and every day, we dedicate ourselves to taking that advice. We also humbly offer You our worship, adoration, praise, honor, loyalty, and glory too. In Christ’s name, amen.
Tomorrow, the Lord leads me to discuss citations in which He is referred to as El Roi, “The God Who Sees,” and, if there is space, begin looking at Him as El Shaddai, “The All-Sufficient One.” We are surrounded by His love and protection every day of our lives. He rewards us for being faithful to Him with a supernatural peace, with courage of faith, and with the hope of the resurrection. All of these are gifts that transcend the grave. We are blessed that we can put these treasures from heaven in our storehouse and keep them for eternity. Peter and I send our love too.
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn