Continue to be parked in the book of Job this week. I love it when God uncovers for me new ways of seeing things, and in this case, He has really shown me a new way to look at this particular book. So I'm going to try to put down some of these "new" views or understanding that I've received.
1.) We don't really like reading the book of Job, because we see questions that are asked but never answered. We see people with terrifying doubts and fears, and we see the anguish of a man who is suffering. All of these things put together remind us of how frail our own existence is and that such things could come to us. With that in mind, I have got to remember that when trouble comes to my life, then something is happening in the spiritual realm that I cannot see. It is at this moment I need to lean into God....to trust God and not allow my feelings to dictate my response to the situation.
2.) The book of Job is a picture of a world without Christ. In other words, what we see in Job is what our world would look like today if Jesus had not come to be our Savior and entry point into relationship with the Father. Although Job was a good man, he was absent of the resurrected Christ. This book shows us the power that satan has over our flesh and our emotions. We are hopeless against the wind of satan's attacks without the power of the resurrected Christ. As you read the book, you may think that Job does better than you and me would in similar situations, but still he becomes filled with hopelessness as he sits with his so called friends who have come to comfort him.
3.) Reading the responses of Job's caring friends (I use that term loosely) we see that the problem of evil can never be solved with the council of men Neither can it be dealt with through reasoning. Why? Because evil transcends the material, therefore it cannot be reasoned our understood with our senses. We turn to God for instruction and comfort during times when evil has come to our door.
4.) If you read Chapter 9 of Job, you'll see the powerful realization of what Jesus has actually accomplished.
Job 9:14 -- "And who am I, that I should try to answer God or ever reason with him? Even if I were innocent, I would have no defense. I could only plead for mercy." Jesus, as our mediator, has brought conversation with God back to our planet. In Job's day there was no mediator, no savior, and as such people were far removed from God. Through Jesus' death and resurrection, He brought back to us the presence of God in a sin-cursed world.
5.) We read in Job 17:1-2: "My spirit is crushed, and I am near death. The grave is ready to receive me. I am surrounded by mockers. I watch how bitterly they taunt me" Evil/sin has within its grasp the ability to break the spirit of a man or woman. God is the only One that can heal that brokenness. Now as I read this, that God is the only One who can heal our brokenness, a thought occurred to me. It doesn't say that God might stop the pain or take us out of the situation. But rather the thought is that no matter what happens, God is able to heal, raise up, restore and defeat the influence of evil on me and my family.
I am totally enjoying going through this book. (Never thought I'd hear myself say this). God has given me a fresh new way of seeing Job and the things he went through. That God! Just when you think you've got Him figured out, he'll take you to a new place and show you things you've never noticed before.Man.....gotta love him.
God on you....
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