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Category: Job – God’s Providence Unfolded

Job 7:11 I will teach you concerning the hand of God. That which is with the Almighty I will not conceal.

First and foremost,

Job stands alone in the Bible as an ancient book revealing God’s providence in relation to Job’s integrity.

Although most associate Job with suffering and some with the unseen temptations of Satan, God reveals Job as a righteous man who has blessings withdrawn, yet remains righteous.

The LORD also reveals His great glory in closing arguments to the man Job, before completely redeeming his former life with twice the blessings as before.

– Job is perhaps the oldest book of the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible)

in terms of when it was written and chronologically as it takes place during Moses’ recording of the timeline of Genesis.

  • Some Bibles include Job with the books of wisdom (either before or after Psalms).
  • Properly Job could be included as Old Testament books of History (preceding the historical books relating Hebrew history during the diaspora to Babylon).
  • The Hebrew Bible groups Iyov (Job) as Ketuvim (Scriptures) but not chronologically ordered before books of Scriptures, i.e. Psalms, written much later.
  • And the 17th & 18th c. Bible commentator Matthew Henry likely classifies the book of Job best when he states:

“This book of Job stands by itself, is not connected with any other, and is therefore to be considered alone.

  • COMPLAINT!

    COMPLAINT!

    Job Replies: My Complaint Is Just

    6 Then Job answered and said:

    2 “Oh that my vexation were weighed,
    and all my calamity laid in the balances!

    Ever had a bad day?

    The Lord had already put on my heart to write from Job’s experience as continuation for our Lenten preparation in consideration of the cost of the Cross. And then I had yet another ‘bad day.’

    Job was angry and frustrated with what GOD had allowed to happen to him after all of his faithful worship and righteousness in every part of his life. GOD had always rewarded Job’s righteousness.  GOD had always brought blessing into Job’s life.

    Blessing or curse: Is it from God?

    WHY! Job asked?

    Why ME! we ask?

    Why, Lord, have you brought me very low to this place?

    I know that I am a sinner. I know that I do not deserve your grace in Christ Jesus. I know that.

    But you have done all these things to me. You have afflicted me with my own sin and the sin of those I love. WHY?

    Prior to Job’s complaint (and God’s eventual answer and restoration): Job 2:

     9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.”

    10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

    It’s OK to have an argument with God; Job did. It’s called prayer, private petition; and you had better be ready to brace yourself for God’s answer, if you have ears to hear as our Lord would instruct.

    It is a fearsome place… to be alone in the place of God… no wife (or perhaps, husband) to support you in your love of the Lord and care for your over-abiding love for her by God’s grace. It is a lonely place to sit among friends (even so-called ‘christian’ church friends) who feel sorry for you and fill your wearisome ears with misguided uncompassionate advice.

    Prayer for yourself

    Just between you and God

    Waiting to hear

    The answer of the Almighty

    Should bring us to our knees

    And bow down our sinful souls

    Into the dust and ashes

    Of repentance.

    Let you with ears to hear hear, before you would speak so boldly into the ear of the One who hung upon the Cross for your sins.

    Yet we have questions. And we have an Advocate in Christ who knows our pain. Jesus hears and will answer if only we will hear Him. Allow the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart.

    In our strong will to tell GOD what to do, will we hear His answer?

    Job 6:11 What is my strength, that I should wait?
    And what is my end, that I should be patient?
    12 Is my strength the strength of stones, or is my flesh bronze?
    13 Have I any help in me,
    when resource is driven from me?
    14 “He who withholds kindness from a friend
    forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
    15 My brothers are treacherous as a torrent-bed,
    as torrential streams that pass away,
    16 which are dark with ice,
    and where the snow hides itself.
    17 When they melt, they disappear;
    when it is hot, they vanish from their place.

    Yes, prayer with the Almighty, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is a fearful place. Prayer is a fearful place for battered flesh and broken heart of one so continually refined by the fire of the Holiness of GOD.

    Yet the grace of His love comes at high cost. The ransom paid for our continuing sin is more than sufficient before the King for Him to be gracious to those He loves.

    Let us repent once more and listen. Let us this time obey and follow His Cross without turning or regret.

    John 12

      4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said…

    23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified…

    27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’?

     40 “He has blinded their eyes
    and hardened their heart,
    lest they see with their eyes,
    and understand with their heart, and turn,
    and I would heal them.”

    (Are you praying, you with ears to hear?)

    Jesus Came to Save the World

    44 And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. 47 If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.

    48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day…

    You with ears to hear hear… and pray.

    Pray also for me, sinner though I be.

  • Complaint to the Lord

    Complaint to the Lord

    Job 6

    English Standard Version (ESV)

    Job Replies: My Complaint Is Just

    6 Then Job answered and said:

    2 “Oh that my vexation were weighed,
    and all my calamity laid in the balances!
    3 For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea;
    therefore my words have been rash.
    4 For the arrows of the Almighty are in me;
    my spirit drinks their poison;
    the terrors of God are arrayed against me.

    8 “Oh that I might have my request,
    and that God would fulfill my hope,
    9 that it would please God to crush me,
    that he would let loose his hand and cut me off!
    10 This would be my comfort;
    I would even exult in pain unsparing,
    for I have not denied the words of the Holy One.
    11 What is my strength, that I should wait?
    And what is my end, that I should be patient?

    21 For you have now become nothing;
    you see my calamity and are afraid.
    22 Have I said, ‘Make me a gift’?
    Or, ‘From your wealth offer a bribe for me’?
    23 Or, ‘Deliver me from the adversary’s hand’?
    Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the ruthless’?

    24 “Teach me, and I will be silent;
    make me understand how I have gone astray.

    Go not your own way

    Or run to your own understanding,

    But seek the answer of the Lord

    The eternal truth of temporal trouble.

    Numbers 15:39 NIV

    You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by chasing after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes.

    Psalm 22

    English Standard Version (ESV)

    Why Have You Forsaken Me?

    27 All the ends of the earth shall remember
    and turn to the Lord,
    and all the families of the nations
    shall worship before you.
    28 For kingship belongs to the Lord,
    and he rules over the nations.

    29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship;
    before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
    even the one who could not keep himself alive.
    30 Posterity shall serve him;
    it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;
    31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn,
    that he has done it.

     

  • Job’s Wife

    Job’s Wife

    Job 2: 9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!”

    10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

    When a man meets adversity he must look to God.  Yet the loyalty and love of his wife could not be of more importance than when God brings adversity.

    A wife must not seek to lead her husband.  No wife who claims Jesus Christ can do anything other than love, respect, honor, and obey her husband, as he follows the Lord to take up His Cross.

    If not: You believe your sin is against me; but your sin is the adultery of Judas. — Rev. 2:21

    (Job needs your love…)

    Please pray for my wife, my blessing, that she will return to the Lord, Christ Jesus… Soon.

    Thank you Lord.