JULY 15, 2013 THOUGHTS FROM JOB CHAPTER 19 OVERVIEW The chapter is Job’s response to Bildad’s repetition of the same old tradition, the righteous prosper and the evil suffer loss. First, Job is pleading with his friends to spare their tormenting and abusive speeches. He reminds them that there is God in heaven; in Him better judgment of nations resides. Second, he gives a description of his tragedy. He shows how everything around him has turned against him; God, his friends, his family, his relatives, his wife, his servants. He sees that what is remaining is just his skin and bones. He requests his friends to be considerative. Finally, Job delivers an all time, prophetic, soteriological and christological, masterpiece. What a personal consolation remained in Job by faith. DOCTRINAL REFLECTIONS 1. Job 19 stands out in the book. It gives evidence about the pre-existence of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It shows that Christ is eternal. He is our Redeemer. He is also truly acquainted grief. He will come again, apocalyptically, to take his children home. Job had this knowledge thousands of years ago before our age. This must also anchor our faith in the rock of our salvation. The Bible is true and coherent, rule of our faith and practice, for time and eternity. 2. The nature of our Lord’s second coming is also well illustrated. Every eye shall see Him. What Job said in this chapter concurs, in a nutshell, with what David said in Psalm 50:1-3, Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Jesus in Matthew 24:31, 25:31 and Rev.1:7. 3. The coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is connected with the resurrection of the dead. Nothing more, nothing less. LESSONS 1. Christians need to be springs of hope to a hopeless world; joy to the sorrowful world and bread to the hungry world. What Job’s friends are doing calls on us to be serious in our responsibility as witnesses of Christ. The world needs a tangible answer to what is happening around us. We cannot join the myriad in the Christendom who are mumbling and are increasing people’s sorrows. Many are losing their faith out there because they have been told at their church that their poverty is a result of a curse or sin. Wondering and suffering in their innocence. Where is the big picture? 2. Satan is ruthless. At any cost, James (4:7) is reminding us to resist the devil and so that he does not have any business with us. It is quite comforting to suffer knowing you are sinless, that is for righteousness sake than to suffer as a true sinner; reaping what was sown in foolishness and folly. 3. It is also good to remember that the God does not tempt anyone with anything bad. Even though the language in the chapter shows that Job is questioning God about his life. It is the devil who masterminded the whole move. The nearest to a thing God would not do is not keeping you from being tempted. He will allow you to be tempted for you to exercise and strengthen you spiritual limbs. “It is true that God allowed a couple of actions against Job since he was selected by God as a show-case for the unfallen worlds to see (Koot van Wyk).” For if God would put a strong wall that the devil cannot penetrate our lives, the claims of the evil one would be substantiated. Let us all stand up as the faithful army of God. 4. In our trials and temptations, Job has reminded, that the redeemer is not dead. He lives to make intercession for his children. When all said and done, and the great controversy has ended He will take us home. We will even say “farewell to the sweet hour of prayer.” 5. The hope of resurrection is also well illustrated in this chapter. This will be the consummation of our faith in the Lord. It is good to note that Job connected the resurrection with the coming of our Lord, not any other time. Isaiah wrote, “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.” 6. Finally, concerning the second coming let us all be reminded, by Job, that every eye shall see him. Jesus will not come in secret. Anything less than or more than this is satanic deception and not biblical. Dear God, We know our Redeemer lives and that letting You live in us, keeps us engraved upon your hands. Save us and our loved ones from the “sword of the wrath of iniquity.” Amen.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Jul 2013 07:31:15 +0000
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