2023-09-22
Good Morning Dear Ones,
Last week, I cited JAS 5: 11 and will do so again. “As you know we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” As you may know, the book of Job began with the Lord and the devil making a bet. It was that the devil could do anything to Job, except kill him, and Job would retain his faith in God. Since the Lord put in that exception, we can already glean Who has the more power. But it’s still instructive to look at a list of what the evil one brought into Job’s life. Job lost 3 wives, numerous children, many valued servants (except his messenger) and his animals. He was given sores all over his body, the approval and agreement of his three best friends—Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar-- as he suffered, the respect of a young man who happened by and entered the conversation, his peace replaced by turmoil and anger at God, and the feeling of hopelessness. We see before us not only the devil’s evil, but a tremendous struggle to pass such a test of Job’s faith.
For the most part, his friends were motivated to do their best to support Job’s needs. But they were hampered by the belief that everything that they saw was due to God either punishing or rewarding Job. This monumental and faith-testing struggle was more than that. Job’s endurance is seen in JOB 23: 8-10, “But if I go to the east, He [God] is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find Him. When He is at work in the north, I do not see Him; when He turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of Him. But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”
When Job couldn’t find God, in what did he take comfort? It was hope and his persistence in believing what God says in the writings he studied [what would eventually be the OT] and that somehow, God was there to see to his needs. IS 43: 1-3, “But now, this is what the Lord says—He Who created you Jacob, He Who formed you, Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush [Ethiopia], and Seba [modern Yemen and ancient kingdom of Aksum in Ethiopia] in your stead.” Further illumination on God’s intentions is found in PS 37: 23-24, “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand.” Remember, this is the same God, Who says, in IS 49: 16-18a, “See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands; your walls are ever before Me. Your children hasten back, and those who laid you waste depart from you. Lift up your eyes and look around, all your children gather and come to you.”
This shows Job’s patience in yet another way. He knew what a doxology was, although it wasn’t expressed specifically until 1645—from the Greek word, doxa, which means “opinion,” or “glory”—giving rise to the word doxology, which means “a hymn of praise to God.” This was a feature of the faith that Job had, faith that never really left him despite some close calls during his time of suffering. I think Job knew God was testing his faith and that he needed to persevere in it. How do we know the end? After a most engaging period of questions when God finally chimes in [found in JOB 37-42: 9], God speaks directly to Job’s friends and Job himself, restoring all that Job had lost. To no one’s surprise, the devil loses the bet!
PRAYER: O Lord, these examples from Job’s life and the Scriptures that reveal Your love for Your human creation; they should really matter to us too. They are examples that show we were created to have faith in You, to honor You, and to know You through Your “Love Letter” [Bible]. Our desire is to live the Christian life and that Your will outlines for us. However, it isn’t always easy. You allow for tests of our faith and challenges that seem tremendous to us. We are even encouraged to ask for those tests, so we can know the status of our heart attitudes. PS 139: 23-24, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” Such a prayer pleases You, and we must remember: 1 COR 10: 13, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted, beyond what you can endure. He will also provide you with a way out, so that you can endure it.” That way out is the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ! We thank and praise You, Lord for all You are and all You do, for it is ever righteous. In the holy/mighty name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: At the command of the Holy Spirit, I’ve written about what doxology is this week. There is much we need to understand about what glory is and how it can affect the life of a believer in Jesus Christ. When a person serially rejects faith in Jesus, he is doing himself a serious disservice. Even the Jewish people who are stubbornly rejecting Christ’s deity are only doing this for a temporary period. How do I know this? RO 11: 25, “There is a secret truth, my friends, which I want you to know; for it will keep you from thinking how wise you are. It is that the stubbornness of the people of Israel is not permanent but will last only until the complete number of Gentiles comes to God.” Right after that, the Holy Spirit directs Paul to remind us of the Abrahamic covenant that God made with the Jews [see GN 12: 1-3]. We must remember 1 PET 2: 9, “But you are the chosen people, the King’s priests, the holy nation. God’s own people, chosen to proclaim the wonderful acts of God, who called you out of darkness into His own marvelous light.”
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn, JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2023. All Rights Reserved.
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