The real glory of Job

As I was pondering the story of Job I was given a moment of revelation. I am certain that it will make more sense in my mind than it will on this blog but I still wanted to type it out and give it a voice.

So often, people think the story of Job is so very unfair. As if God is somehow unjust for allowing a righteous man to suffer in order to prove a point to satan.  I used to think this too, until I saw just what was happening and how awesome of a story it truly is.

We tend to think that Job didn't deserve any of his suffering because we are told he was a good man who honored God.  Good people aren't supposed to have bad things happen to them.  Yet, all around us in real life, bad things happen to good people, to people we love, all the time.  Why should Job's story make us so upset?  Why does it seem so unfair? So wrong?  I believe it's because it makes us afraid. It makes us say to ourselves, "If God would allow that to happen to Job, then I'm toast!" Am I right?  I propose though, that God actually did Job a major favor in allowing him to take part in the story.  How?  I'll tell you. Job actually got to stick it to satan, and he didn't even know it!

Satan was God's most glorious created being. He was in God's presence and yet, turned in pride, desiring to be God instead of honoring his creator.  He was able to deceive Adam and Eve into doing likewise to their Creator.  Ever since, that has been his game, to separate God from his creation.  Yet, God was about to show satan that humans were different than angels.  That humans were special. That even though many would rebel, there were some, despite satan's best efforts, that would always worship God.  Satan thought that humans, Job in particular, would only worship God if God protected and blessed them. Remove that protection, satan mused, and humans will curse God to his face.  So, God allowed satan to attack Job.  To test his theory about humans and their relationship with God.  We all know how it ends. Job prevails through all the trials and worships God, even more aware of God's awesome power than before.  We don't hear anything about satan or his reaction.  I think it's because Job's response is all the triumph we need to see.  He showed a fallen angel that a being made from the dust of the earth, could continue to worship God, a God he had never even seen, despite massive suffering and loss.  Every tactic employed against him by satan failed.  FAILED.  Satan FAILED to destroy a being made of mud.  Of simple flesh and bone.  Satan, Lucifer, the most beautifully created being ever made...who had lived the direct presence and holiness of God...failed to destroy a human being. Ah...the embarassment.  We don't get to hear what satan did when he realized that his plans had failed.  I like to think that he slunk off to a dark corner somewhere to fume over getting OWNED by a human.  Not only that, but he had to watch as God restored fully to Job every last thing that satan thought he had taken away.  He learned that he had NO power. Even what he stole and destroyed, God was able to restore.  Ouch.

Job didn't know all this. Had he known, he could have become arrogant or prideful. Instead, it was his lack of knowledge of what was happening in the spiritual that made him such an inspiration.   He accepted good and evil from the hand of the Lord and worshipped Him just the same.  His faith was pure. His faith was based on the knowledge that God is God and he was not.  Unlike satan who wanted to be God, Job was content, even in suffering to submit to God.  Bam.  I said, BAM!  This also foreshadows Jesus Christ. The Son of Man, who submits to suffering, only to be glorified and lifted up before all principalities and powers.  Despite temptations, despite persecution, despite physical pain...Jesus prevails.  Even to the point of death, Jesus overcomes.  Job is never allowed to be killed. Job doesn't lose his own life. But his suffering is a picture, a promise to satan that if a regular man can overcome, just wait until the Son of Man comes...he will even triumph over death!

As Christians, God promises us that we can and will overcome as well.  If we continue to trust despite the persecution, trials and temptations.  We will be like Christ and we will win!  Job didn't know of Jesus, he didn't know what we know..and yet he overcame.  How much more should we be encouraged KNOWING that Christ is for us and in us!  How awesome!

Bigot or Prophet?

Bigot or Prophet?

     As today is America's National Day of Prayer, it has gotten me thinking about all the ills that plague our society. Our nation clearly needs prayer. It clearly needs a whole-hearted return to God and His principles of living. As I read the news, I became increasingly upset, almost to the point of tears (which is one reason that I don't read the news every day..it truly can overwhelm...)  I decided to hop into the bathtub which is where I tend to relax and have some quiet time to pray and ponder. As I prayed basically a version of "Dear God, we are messing things up royally down here...PLEASE HELP US!...OH..and DON'T ALLOW ME TO BE A PROBLEM TOO!", I felt God leading me to read Matthew chapter 3. I honestly didn't remember what was in that chapter but I took God's leading and went there expecting to hear something that would bring clarity to the desperate prayer of my heart.  He did.
     Matthew 3 tells us about John the Baptist. He begins preaching in the wilderness and many people in the surrounding area come out to hear him.  Here is what he was shouting,

"Repent (think differently; change your mind, regretting your sins and changing your conduct), for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." 

"You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee and escape from the wrath and indignation [of God against disobedience] that is coming? Bring forth fruit that is consistent with repentance [let your lives prove your change of heart]"

"And already the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

"I indeed baptize you ^[c]in (with) water ^[d]because of repentance [that is, because of your^[e]changing your minds for the better, heartily amending your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins]. But He Who is coming after me is mightier than I, Whose sandals I am not worthy or fit to take off or carry; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fan (shovel, fork) is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear out and clean His threshing floor and gather and store His wheat in His barn, but the chaff He will burn up with fire that cannot be put out."

    Does this sound like a bigot to you? I don't think this type of preaching would go over very well in a lot of circles these days.  I am not sure if this preaching would go well in Christian circles.  Certainly not on facebook! Sometimes I feel like my words echo John the Baptist, preaching a message that is unpopular and seemingly harsh. I feel like I am out in the wilderness and people are looking at me in my goat hair suit as I eat honey and bugs.  I wonder at times if I am the bigot and hater that the media and so called "liberals"  would say that I am.  I rack my brain, praying and wondering, "God, am I actually representing you well and accurately?" Am I being a loving person? Can I indeed speak words like these and still be loving? It tears me up inside because the last thing I want to do is turn people away from Christ because I am doing things all wrong. Is this how Jesus would talk? Is this how Jesus would act? Isn't he so non-judgy? Isn't he all love and acceptance and condemnation free? 

     Well, I got my answer. In the very next verse, Jesus shows up on the scene and does something that would surprise my critics. He REQUESTS to be baptized by John...you know..the one who was yelling at people to repent and change their minds, attitudes and actions!  I think it stands to reason that Jesus was advocating the message that John was sharing with his listeners.  Not only that, but shortly after Jesus gets baptized, He goes into the desert to be tempted by Satan and comes out preaching! What are his first words that are recorded in Scripture...."Repent (^[l]change your mind for the better, heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." 

     Hmmm. Sounds a lot like the message that John was preaching. Who, by the way, was jailed for calling out the sexual sin of Herod, the leader of the day who had married his brother's wife.  Does this remind anyone of the growing pressure coming on many Christians today who are openly opposed to the flagrant sexual sins of today?  Wouldn't the "liberals" for lack of a better word, be incensed by John's pointing out of sexual sin?  He ended up dying for doing so with a swift beheading. 

   I am so thankful that God sent me to this passage. It did several things. It renewed in me the assurance that I am not a hateful bigot, but in fact, am preaching the same message that Jesus preached. Some people are not going to like it...sometimes to the degree that they may very well kill me.  Okay. Noted. I sure hope not....It also encouraged me to take heart and remember that Jesus is very much in control and that the axe is at the root of the tree...He is going to deal with the sin in this world...I can trust in that when I get overwhelmed by the news swirling about me.  It also reminded me to check my own heart and put it before God.  Am I repentant? Am I continuing to allow my heart and mind to be changed? Am I truly disgusted with my old ways of sin and seeking to put to death the sin that I see in me today?  Only God knows for sure...I pray that He will bring fruit that is good out of my life.  And I pray that the words I speak will echo His, even if by prophesying, I am called a bigot.