The Doctrine of Suffering - Job – Part 60: Job’s Expert Witness Attitude Is Revealed
June 29, 2010
OUTLINE:
Mystery Doctrine
Mystery Doctrine: refers to the great power experiment, the Church Age, and its unique doctrines; this was a “mystery” because it wasn’t revealed to the OT saints
Mystery Doctrine
- The baptism of the Holy Spirit
- The new spiritual species of the royal family of God
- DPG with its provisions
- Royal Priesthood/Ambassadorship
- The indwelling the Trinity
- The availability of divine power (dunamis)
Mystery Doctrine
So-called “problems” arose for OT saints such that they desired to know the “solutions” revealed by mystery doctrine.
Problem #1
The Book of Job contemplates the invisible God (Job 23:3)
Solution #1
TLJC’s incarnation; we now find Him as the living Word of God (Joh 1:14)
Problem #2
The Book of Job contemplates human sin (Job 25:4)
Solution #2
TLJC died on the Cross for our sins (Rom 5:8-9, 18)
Problem #3
Job contemplates death and immortality (Job 14:14)
Solution #3
TLJC’s resurrection is the first fruit guarantee for our own resurrection (Col 1:18; 1Co 15:54-55)
Mystery Doctrine
So-called “problems” arose for OT saints such that they desired to know the “solutions” revealed by mystery doctrine.
Whitewashed Walls
The chief priests, scribes, Pharisees claimed to believe Moses, but they were like “whitewashed tombs” clinging to words rather than the Truth revealed BY the words in the scriptures!
Blind Arrogance
The group most vigorous about the scriptures actually didn’t even understand the spirit of them!
Moses
Moses was one of the greatest witnesses of Christ.
Moses
Moses constantly taught about Christ.
Types of Christ
Both Moses and Job are types of Christ in that they interceded for people who sinned against them.
Faith
A person must BELIEVE that God will deliver on His promises.
Shadow vs. Reality
Compare diseases: the serpent bit and sin are both deadly
Compare remedies: they looked to the bronze serpent and lived; we look to TLJC and live.
Faith In God
No matter the condition, no matter how hopeless and helpless or near to death a person is, faith in God’s salvation (whether shadow or reality) is the cure.
Shadows
Lev 1-6, the Levitical offerings, we have the teaching of the Cross. Lev 23, the holy days which was teaching concerning Christ. Exo 12, the Passover, and in 1 Co 5:7 Christ is our Passover.
Moses
Moses was one of the greatest witnesses of Christ.
God’s Mercy Revealed
Job’s friends’ rigid “Reward-Retribution” theology would imply that they should be punished, yet God’s actions reveal something much greater - grace in action (aka mercy)!
The Cross Revealed
The Cross was the greatest illustration of God supplying a sacrifice (Christ) as a judicial substitution for a guilty party (man).
Grace
God provides sacrifices (burnt offerings) as a judicial substitution (temporary) for a guilty party (Job’s friends).
God Knows His Children
God knows precisely what each of His children need in order to adjust to Him. In Job’s friends’ case, it was a great show of mercy, followed by another show of mercy by His servant Job.
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
Job’s Deliverance
Since BD has delivered Job between his two ears (indicated by “when he prayed” Job 42:10), God now delivers him physically and restores prosperity.
Job’s Testimony
He also reveals Job’s “expert witness” attitude to his friends and the angels by having Job stand in the gap as intercessor for his friends.
The Ripple Effect
We don’t live in a vacuum. Our lives have a ripple effect on those around us…even the angels! (1Pe 1:12; 1Ti 3:16)
Point 27
Undeserved suffering is a unique teaching method God uses to prove to us that His grace is sufficient.
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 the positive believer. By grace, the blessings are poured out.
Humility
We must learn to get out of our own way! (aka humility towards God’s grace plan)
Humility
Is humility something you decide on for yourself?
Humility
Is humility something you provide your own soul with or is it something you receive from somewhere else?
Humility
What is the root of true humility?...where did it come from?
Humility
Humility is an attitude in your soul that can only be received by means of BD. Humility, as a function of faith, cannot be artificially manufactured through human will-power.
Humility
Humility is supernaturally produced through the 2 spiritual power options.
“humble”
from tapeinoo - means to take in the Word of God; to submit to its authority and orient to grace; this is the prerequisite to Rom 1:17 “to faith” (doctrinal orientation).
“humble”
tapeinoo (“humble”) is in the imperative mood, which means it’s a command to take in BD so that humility can be supernaturally produced in the soul.
“might”
from krataios - points to the ruling system or a ruling power, which is BD
“hand of God”
(anthropomorphism) refers to grace giving by God (eg: Pro 8:10-36; Psa 19:1; 37:24; Isa 41:10)
Authority
Once BD is resident in the soul, it becomes the authority in your life. The ruling hand of God is BD.
1Pe 5:6 [literal]
Therefore, receive grace orientation under the authority of the ruling hand of God
Promotion
God promotes on the basis of BD only.
“at the proper time”
en kairo - the subjunctive mood means that promotion is potential, not guaranteed, and is dependent on doctrinal orientation.
Humility
Humility is not a loss, but rather a gain.
Humility
We must learn to get out of our own way! (aka humility towards God’s grace plan)