Posted: 1/6/2010 9:41:14 PM EDT
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The Book of Job is probably one of my favorite parts of the Bible. I feel that lately there have been many people facing hardships need something uplifting. Job is heartbreaking, yet beautiful and incredibly prophetic. I choke up almost every time I read it. Just some side history before the verse, The Book of Job is considered by most biblical historians to be the oldest book of the Bible. Job the man was heavily tested and lost just about everything. Most men in his position would break. His servants, his possessions and his children were all taken. He also lost his health and was afflicted with boils. His own wife tried to get him to curse God, yet he persevered. His friends sat around with him and discussed that surely he must of done something for all of this to happen. While in severe pain and amongst his friends Job says something incredibly prophetic, which if Job is indeed the oldest book, then it is one of the first prophecies of Christ. Anyway, here is the verse:
30If I wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye, 31yet you will plunge me into a pit, and my own clothes will abhor me. 32For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him, that we should come to trial together. 33 There is no arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on us both. 34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not dread of him terrify me. 35Then I would speak without fear of him, for I am not so in myself. Job describes washing himself with something as pure as snow and cleansing his hands with lye (soap). Yet nothing that he can do is good enough to stand in front of the glory and holiness of God. Only God Himself can provide a way for us to stand in his presence. Job didn't know it, but he was prophesying about our Redeemer. How wonderful it is that Christ was sent to us to arbitrate on our behalf and remove the rod, to place one hand on us and one on the Father. Amongst such intense pain, both emotionally and physically, God tested Job to His glory and provided revelation and prophecy of Himself. Even better, Job end's on a happy note. For Job's faithfulness, God restored his fortunes. In life there are many trials, but God will pull us through. Keep the faith brothers and sisters. |
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Job is also one of my favorites. For the longest time, though, actually up until maybe a week at most, I have always been bitter about how it says God restores his fortunes. I mean, he lost his kids. If I lost my kids, even if I had twice or three times as many in the future, there would always be an emptiness in my heart for those I had lost. My girls are my best friends. They are the most precious things I have ever been given the priviledge of having in my life. But then I realized, as I read a book about heaven, that God didn't take Job's children away from him permanently. They will be together for eternity in heaven. And who knows if I am ever going to have to go through a test like this? If I can hold bitterness in my heart for the fact that God took someone ELSE's children away, how much more would that bitterness be if they were mine? I have finally reached a point in my spirit where I have been able to release my children fully into God's hands and trust him that no matter what happens to them he has a plan and I will be with them again for eternity. Job had to know that there was something beyond this life to be able to hang on and put his trust in God like that. If God is completely just then he wouldn't have allowed these things to come on Job unless there was going to be eternal blessings for his steadfastness. Yes, this is absolutely one of my faves. |
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Quoted: ... Even better, Job end's on a happy note. For Job's faithfulness, God restored his fortunes... Not just restored, but doubled –– a point many miss (not saying you did, FTR). Look at both the beginning and the end of the book where it enumerates his holdings by number, before and after.  Quoted: ... But then I realized, as I read a book about heaven, that God didn't take Job's children away from him permanently. They will be together for eternity in heaven... Which IMHO is why they are the only part of his before/after enumerated "wealth" that was replaced exactly, and not doubled. I've used that example as a lesson before.  |
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This thread DELIVERS!  One thing that I find striking and cool is Job's Daughters. Unlike the majority of the books and genealogies listed throughout the Bible, the names of Job's sons are not mentioned, while the names of his daughters are, and their beauty is noted, and the rare fact that they were also given an inheritance along side their brothers! This is intentional and therefore it grabs me. You can go all over the place as you study the Bible as Newton did. Seven sons and three daughters with the sons not being represented with names. That snags me and snaps me over to Ruth and the kinsman-redeemer theme and Ruth 4:15 He will renew your life ( remember Job's restoration) and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth." Often it seemed as though value was measured in the number of sons, but here are two instances where that is turned on it's head for illustration. Not to hijack, but the book of Job has taken me many places elsewhere in the Bible, from the above jump to Ruth, immediately to 1 Samuel 1:8 Elkana her husband would say to her, "Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don't you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don't I mean more to you than ten sons?" So we've got a daughter-in-law valued at seven sons (plus), and a husband upping the ante on his worth to ten sons (plus). (And I'm not trying to be disrespectful to Elkanah, just colorful with the ante-uppage comment.) |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
... Even better, Job end's on a happy note. For Job's faithfulness, God restored his fortunes... Not just restored, but doubled –– a point many miss (not saying you did, FTR). Look at both the beginning and the end of the book where it enumerates his holdings by number, before and after.
Quoted:
... But then I realized, as I read a book about heaven, that God didn't take Job's children away from him permanently. They will be together for eternity in heaven... Which IMHO is why they are the only part of his before/after enumerated "wealth" that was replaced exactly, and not doubled. I've used that example as a lesson before.
Absolutely! In my excitment over the prophesy of Jesus I failed to also mention this. 
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The book of Job and the Psalms got me through a very tough time in my life. Here's my favorites.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––- Job 1:21- And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord ." Job 1:22- In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong. Job 38:1- Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: Job 38:2- "Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge? Job 38:3- Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. Job 38:4- "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Job 38:5- Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? Job 38:6- To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, Job 38:7- When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy? |
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ns2002, it's cool that you made verse 33 bold, when I looked through one of my many tattered, worn, highlighted, underlined, and side-notated bibles I found that I had underlined verse 33, drawn a line in pencil, and wrote 'Jesus' beside it. Looking through Job I saw a great deal of underlining. Job 12:23-25 sounds like current events. Then there is Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram. He shows up and speaks, then disappears. Although the Lord showed his anger toward Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, there is an absence of rebuke for Elihu. Some of what Elihu spoke jumped out at me enough to highlight it. Such as......Job 36:3-4 I get my knowledge from afar; I will ascribe justice to my Maker. Be assured that my words are not false; one perfect in knowledge is with you. Also Job 32:18-19 For I am full of words, and the spirit(or Spirit) within me compels me; inside I am like bottled up wine, like new wineskins ready to burst. And then Job 33: 14-30. The whole book is pure gold, and it looks like with the highlighter I used, my personal copy is literally gold or florescent-bright-yellow, (at least it seems heaviest in the area where Elihu spoke.) Thanks again for redirecting my attention to the good stuff! |
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Quoted:
Job is also one of my favorites. For the longest time, though, actually up until maybe a week at most, I have always been bitter about how it says God restores his fortunes. I mean, he lost his kids. If I lost my kids, even if I had twice or three times as many in the future, there would always be an emptiness in my heart for those I had lost. My girls are my best friends. They are the most precious things I have ever been given the priviledge of having in my life. But then I realized, as I read a book about heaven, that God didn't take Job's children away from him permanently. They will be together for eternity in heaven. And who knows if I am ever going to have to go through a test like this? If I can hold bitterness in my heart for the fact that God took someone ELSE's children away, how much more would that bitterness be if they were mine? I have finally reached a point in my spirit where I have been able to release my children fully into God's hands and trust him that no matter what happens to them he has a plan and I will be with them again for eternity.
Job had to know that there was something beyond this life to be able to hang on and put his trust in God like that. If God is completely just then he wouldn't have allowed these things to come on Job unless there was going to be eternal blessings for his steadfastness. Yes, this is absolutely one of my faves. This reminds me of a testimony I heard just recently. This man's wife was in labor with their child. In the emergency room things went bad, quick. They were about to lose the mother and tragically, the baby was born, but did not survive the birth. They quickly focused their efforts on trying to save the mans wife. The man stood their holding the lifeless body of his son and crying out he prayed, "God, please I'll do anything, take me instead and let my son live." Fathers (and mothers) would do anything to protect and keep their own children alive. There is also nothing more painful then outliving a child. During his incredible suffering and pain, it dawned on him the incredible sacrifice and love that God has for us. Our heavenly Father willingly sent His Son to die on the cross for all of us. The Son, blameless, yet persecuted, beaten, taunted, and crucified. At any time the wrath of God could have been released on all man kind. We, completely undeserving and sinful have been given an unmatchable gift of grace. Nothing we could ever do would make up for what God has done for us. Words simply cannot describe how incredibly loving our God is. |
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Quoted: I had to read this a few times to get the gist of it. At first I was likeI want to thank everybody for this thread. Phone rings, and Job was given to a friend in need. Absolutely Amazing! Directly related to the children part.  .....oh great, (I misread it like the idiot I am), somebody staggered in here and made a joke about their friend getting a job! Yeah, employment issues are troubling many folks here big time, and it is stupid for me to even type this brain flatulence but I am laughing at myself so it's well worth the public announcement of my frequent stupidity.That said, BonesofGa's post is the perfect illustration of those amazing, miraculous (in my estimation), and beautiful moments that non-believers may instantly laugh off as coincidence, chance, results of some sort of mathematical probability, etc. These blessings happen often in the lives of believers, and for me the frequency and probability from a worldly perspective can't explain it. Sure, sometimes it could easily be coincidental, but we will only see what our hearts are willing to see. I should not hijack this excellent thread on Job so this should perhaps go to a separate thread on this type of event. For years when I would read Job I found it depressing and unfair, yet tragedies in life have proven to bring beauty from the ashes of despair. The book I once would actually dodge around, I now can truly see hope, beauty, and love in. It's amazing as said above, amazing indeed when at just the perfectly timed moment, the perfect piece of the puzzle in the form of heaven sent manna falls into our laps from above!!! Oh, and I realize that 'happy coincidences' (blessings) happen in the lives of unbelievers as well, though often they are missed altogether, or perhaps considered good luck or fortune. As for me and my household, we will see the Good Lord at work when such excellence manifested in our lives! |
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I was thinking about Job not long ago, and this struck me.
What was the greatest blessing that Job was given? Was it the restoration and increase in his physical possessions? Healing? I don't think so. I think the greatest blessing Job was given was coming to know God in a very deep and personal way. Job 42:2-6 (NIV) "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.' My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." |
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Quoted:
The Book of Job is probably one of my favorite parts of the Bible. I feel that lately there have been many people facing hardships need something uplifting. Job is heartbreaking, yet beautiful and incredibly prophetic. I choke up almost every time I read it. Just some side history before the verse, The Book of Job is considered by most biblical historians to be the oldest book of the Bible. Job the man was heavily tested and lost just about everything. Most men in his position would break. His servants, his possessions and his children were all taken. He also lost his health and was afflicted with boils. His own wife tried to get him to curse God, yet he persevered. His friends sat around with him and discussed that surely he must of done something for all of this to happen. While in severe pain and amongst his friends Job says something incredibly prophetic, which if Job is indeed the oldest book, then it is one of the first prophecies of Christ. Anyway, here is the verse: 30If I wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye, 31yet you will plunge me into a pit, and my own clothes will abhor me. 32For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him, that we should come to trial together. 33 There is no arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on us both. 34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not dread of him terrify me. 35Then I would speak without fear of him, for I am not so in myself. Job describes washing himself with something as pure as snow and cleansing his hands with lye (soap). Yet nothing that he can do is good enough to stand in front of the glory and holiness of God. Only God Himself can provide a way for us to stand in his presence. Job didn't know it, but he was prophesying about our Redeemer. How wonderful it is that Christ was sent to us to arbitrate on our behalf and remove the rod, to place one hand on us and one on the Father. Amongst such intense pain, both emotionally and physically, God tested Job to His glory and provided revelation and prophecy of Himself. Even better, Job end's on a happy note. For Job's faithfulness, God restored his fortunes. In life there are many trials, but God will pull us through. Keep the faith brothers and sisters. Now thats great stuff! |