The Doctrine of Suffering - Job – Part 59: Job’s Positive Volition Gets Him Promoted
June 27, 2010
OUTLINE:
Problem #1
Job seeks the invisible God (Job 23:3)
Solution #1
TLJC’s incarnation; we now find Him as the living Word of God
Problem #2
Job contemplates human sin (Job 25:4)
Solution #2
TLJC died on the Cross for our sins
Problem #3
Job contemplates death and immortality (Job 14:14)
Solution #3
TLJC’s resurrection is our first fruit guarantee for our own resurrection
God’s Patience
God’s patience allows time for His grace to reveal itself to man, which by design, is meant to lead man to repentance.
Patience vs. Repentance
Not only does He allow for the arrogant to choose against Him, but along the way, even THEY find blessings!
God’s Debt?
God owes nothing to man, yet He continues to pour out blessings upon all of His children.
Elihu
God never rebukes Elihu, giving credibility to Elihu’s discourse.
OT Faith
Although the OT saints (like Job & friends) may not have had the full picture of Jesus Christ, the man, they certainly clung to a faith that pivoted on His work!
The Cross Revealed
Abel’s “better sacrifice” was a blood sacrifice, pointing to the promises of God’s salvation - pointing to the Cross! (Heb 11:4; Gen 4:3-5)
Lev 17:11
‘For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I [God] have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.’
True Faith
Burnt offerings must be an outward manifestation of an inward faith in Christ.
Some Final Testing
Job must exercise mercy and forgiveness.
His friends must exercise humility and repent
Job’s Forgiveness
Job must forgive his friends for their previous actions so that his attitude towards them is as Christ’s was towards His enemies.
Luk 23:34
But Jesus was [repeatedly] saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.
The Results of Forgiveness
When you forgive someone who has wronged you, you represent the mind of Christ, the Integrity of God. Since only the Truth can bring someone to repentance, you are doing everything possible to help that person.
Type of Christ
The forgiving spirit of Job is a foreshadowing of the love of TLJC and of Christians towards enmity with others.
Forgiveness
Forgiveness is most beneficial to the owner of it. Forgiveness leads a person out of captivity to the enmity one might have against others.
Blessings for Job’s Friends
- Hearing God’s voice
- Wisdom expanded beyond Reward-Retribution only theology
- Job intercedes and prays for them
- God’s grace & mercy revealed though they are deemed unrighteous
Job 42:10 [KJV]
And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
“fortunes”
from shub (Hebrew) - also translated ‘captivity’ [KJV]; reveals a sense of release from bondage into freedom; figuratively means a former state of prosperity
Point 27
Undeserved suffering is a unique teaching method God uses to prove to us that His grace is sufficient.
2Co 12:9
And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”
Point 8
Suffering is part of the grace-oriented plan designed by God to orient you towards His divine plan for your life.
Point 34
The greater the test, the greater the testimony.
Grace
By grace, God provides the objects and the means of sacrifice. By grace, the positive believer is given greater capacity for blessing. By grace, He promotes that person. By grace, the blessings are poured out.