2022-12-02
Good Morning Dear Ones,
Last week, I wrote a brief synopsis of the book of JOB. God and Satan got into a bet that Satan could cause Job to lose his faith in God. Satan was allowed to do to Job whatever he wanted, except to take Job’s life. Satan proceeded to bring all kinds of chaos in Job’s life-loss of his family, loss of his animals; loss of his health, loss of his wealth and standing in the community, etc. Job’s friends, Eliphaz, Zophar, Bildad, and a young upstart, Elihu, all spoke to him. They dialogue with Job but are judgmental, assuming because all this trouble beset Job, Job must have sinned to deserve it. Those who have studied this book know that God doesn’t enter the discussion until chapter 38 and how it ends. I won’t spoil the end for you by detailing it here but hope you will read that wonderful story. It is a great way of showing how chaos troubled this honest and faithful man in his life and the results of Job’s attitude.
By far, Job is not the only person with chaos in the Bible. Joseph was a favored brother in Jacob’s family, one who received a coat of many colors. Joseph was favored because he had been born in his father, Jacob’s, old age. Please read GN 37: 3-28 and JOB 5: 2, which demonstrate how the jealousy of Joseph’s brothers leads to chaos. Jacob [aka Israel] sent Joseph out to see is all was well with his flocks and his brothers, who were looking over them. Joseph found them near Dothan and their jealousy reached a crescendo; they plotted to kill Joseph as he approached. They decided to strip Joseph of his robe and throw him into a cistern [a narrow but deep hole in the ground intended to catch rainwater] which happened to be empty. When Reuben, the oldest brother, realized what the other ones were doing, he rescued Joseph, intending to return him to their father, Jacob. Right at that time, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites [Arabs] on their way to Egypt from Gilead, with their camels loaded with spices, balm, and myrrh. It was Judah’s idea to sell Joseph to these travelers for 20 shekels [units of money in Israel]; they would take Joseph into Egyptian slavery. Now, that’s chaos! As for what happens next, I encourage you to read the next chapters in GN to get the end of Joseph’s story. The wording of 1 COR 10: 13, which I cited last week, gives us God’s perspective on our troubles. All of us have chaos, and God has given us a way out by faithful obedience to our Lord Jesus.
These two stories [those of Job and Joseph] demonstrate what must be done in their cases to avoid spiritual death. Since they are both OT stories and the Lord Jesus’ name is never used, we must understand that He was nevertheless present. How do I know this? COL 1: 15 answers, “The Son is the visible image of the invisible God, the Firstborn over all creation.” This nails it! (Remember my metaphor of God being the CEO, Who makes decisions, His Son [Jesus] Jesus is the VP in charge of redemption and doing the work of creation, and the Holy Spirit is the VP in charge of giving direction, sending God’s messages to mankind, and helping us understand God’s will). Our God has three personalities but is the One and only God [DT 6: 4-5]. Furthermore, our Trinitarian God is omnipotent [all- powerful], omniscient [all- knowing], and omnipresent [present everywhere all at once]. HE 4: 12-13 is worth memorizing. “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to Whom we must give account.”
Islamic anti-Semitism and repression is certainly not being faithful to God. I don’t include all Muslims here, only the ones that practice these modern- day beliefs. In some countries young girls are being denied an education, are being killed by so-called “morality police,” and are sold into slavery. Most Muslim people are hard-working and are about the business of supporting their families. They are not all in favor of these crimes. Others are in re-location camps, having escaped the cruelty of their misguided leaders. Malala Jousef, is now the holder of the Nobel Peace prize. She had been shot as she tried to escape in a bus filled with girls trying to evade being punished for being in school. She escaped to the UK, and his spoken and written against this repression. More and more chaos seems to be gripping our present world. Is it hopeless?? Consider the peace and joy that comes from faith in the Lord.
PRAYER: O Lord, our time on earth is a time of testing and many trials. Bringing spiritual maturity to a person is Your intent for the rearing of a child. That is why parenthood is the most important job we will ever have. You want every child to be obediently faithful to You. The work we do to support our families should be done as if You were our boss. You a benevolent God because we have both Your love and loyalty. However, mankind is by nature sinful. It takes gradual training for a child to behave in godliness. You love us enough to have the patience and forgiveness it takes for us to realize Your truth. That is why Paul said, in 1 TIM 1: 16, “But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His immense patience as an example for those who would believe in Him and receive eternal life.” We thank and praise You for all You are and all You do for us. We pray in the holy/mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen
NEXT WEEK: It will be my hope that by next week, you read the stories of Job and Joseph for yourselves. I am directed by the Holy Spirit to write how they came to peace and joy in their lives. Many lessons along the way were provided in their stories for us. Every trouble we have will eventually be adjudicated by the Lord. That is why the words, “to Whom we must give account,” are given in at the end of HE 4: 13. Our troubles may take longer than we think before God acts. His action may be in a totally unexpected form than we anticipate, but our God loves us so much that He finds a way which is at the best time and way in this effort. His ways are so much higher and better than human ways [IS 55: 8-9]. EPH 2: 8-10, another passage worth memorizing, is about the grace the Lord extends to us. We are so blessed that nothing can separate us from the love He has for us [RO 8: 38-39]. Blessed be the Lord!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn, JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2022. All Rights Reserved.
<-- Back to Archives