Today's Reading: Job 40-42
Think of the most powerful thing in all of creation. Something fierce that you have no power over. God is stronger than that. He is greater than every created thing. He is over it all because He is the One who created it in the first place. That is the message He has for Job. The beginning of my reading today is again God saying to Job who are you to question my justice, to condemn Me to prove you are right?
Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm:
“Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.
“Would you discredit my justice?
Would you condemn me to justify yourself?
Do you have an arm like God’s,
and can your voice thunder like his?
Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor,
and clothe yourself in honor and majesty.
Unleash the fury of your wrath,
look at all who are proud and bring them low,
look at all who are proud and humble them,
crush the wicked where they stand.
Bury them all in the dust together;
shroud their faces in the grave.
Then I myself will admit to you
that your own right hand can save you.
(Job 40:6-14)
“Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.
“Would you discredit my justice?
Would you condemn me to justify yourself?
Do you have an arm like God’s,
and can your voice thunder like his?
Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor,
and clothe yourself in honor and majesty.
Unleash the fury of your wrath,
look at all who are proud and bring them low,
look at all who are proud and humble them,
crush the wicked where they stand.
Bury them all in the dust together;
shroud their faces in the grave.
Then I myself will admit to you
that your own right hand can save you.
(Job 40:6-14)
And then Job responds:
“I know that you can do anything,
and no one can stop you.
You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’
It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about,
things far too wonderful for me.
You said, ‘Listen and I will speak!
I have some questions for you,
and you must answer them.’
I had only heard about you before,
but now I have seen you with my own eyes.
I take back everything I said,
and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”
(Job 42:2-6)
and no one can stop you.
You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’
It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about,
things far too wonderful for me.
You said, ‘Listen and I will speak!
I have some questions for you,
and you must answer them.’
I had only heard about you before,
but now I have seen you with my own eyes.
I take back everything I said,
and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”
(Job 42:2-6)
Our Tuesday night group has been talking a lot about that day to come when every knee will bow in heaven and on earth and declare that Jesus Christ is Lord. Those who have denied God all through their life will finally see Him face to face and there will be no turning back and no denying. Every knee will bow to Him. For some, it will be a day of rejoicing for others a day of terror. And no matter which, it will be extremely humbling to come before God. When we see God I think we will feel very foolish for the way we have acted and the things we have said and for those of us who are saved by His grace I think it will be a renewed realization of just how unworthy we would be if not for the blood of Christ Jesus that was poured out on our behalf. Honestly, I tear up just thinking about it at this moment so I can only imagine what that day will actually be like.
But our story does not end there with Job. God has words for three of his friends too. God tells them He is angry with them for the things they have said about Him. God is angry with them. Let that sink in for a moment. So God gives them an out. He tells them to bring their sacrifice to Job and offer up a burnt offering there to the Lord and Job will pray for them. This is the part that intrigues me today. God directs Job to pray for these men.
But our story does not end there with Job. God has words for three of his friends too. God tells them He is angry with them for the things they have said about Him. God is angry with them. Let that sink in for a moment. So God gives them an out. He tells them to bring their sacrifice to Job and offer up a burnt offering there to the Lord and Job will pray for them. This is the part that intrigues me today. God directs Job to pray for these men.
So take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer on your behalf. I will not treat you as you deserve, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has.” So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite did as the Lord commanded them, and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.
When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes.
In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before!
(Job 42: 8-10)
When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes.
In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before!
(Job 42: 8-10)
God accepts Job's prayerful intercession for these men and they do not get what they deserve because of it. That is a really powerful statement. And we don't have an imperfect man interceding on our behalf before God we have the perfect Son of God and Son of Man. The Lamb of God is our perfect sacrifice. Jesus is the one found worthy, He is the one who willingly surrendered His life so that I might have life and have it abundantly. Job's story ends with Him being blessed by God even more in the second half of his life than he was in the first. Believers in Jesus Christ-our story ends with us being so much more abundantly blessed when we get to heaven than we could ever imagine while we are here on earth. And the really cool thing is it is not the end of our story at all but an amazing "to be continued." The best is yet to come!
May grace abound,
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