Introduction to Job
Job
Introduction
Job is thought by some to have lived around the time of Abraham. Job was wealthy and righteous. He was tried and survived. The book is often reduced to a simple overview such as "A Godly man tried by fire who maintained his integrity" or "a man who lost it all but was given twice as much because he held to God." But a closer look will reveal that Job addresses issues much beyond these.
Job is one of the only Old Testament books to mention Satan, it explores the relationship between God and Satan, God and man, and man and Satan as well as the relationship of good and evil. It draws boundaries on what can and cannot happen to a godly person. It makes us consider the depth of the character of God and even question his goodness and sovereignty. In the end it brings the reader to a sobering view of themselves, and while Job is rescued from his trial the reader is left left wrestling in his mind. The book of Job is a difficult book to understand, but it rewards the careful reader with hours of godly reflection sending us back to the scriptures to find the answers.
Obstacles to understanding the book
The Book of Job has a few obstacles that will keep us from understanding its deepest messages. We must start by naming some of them so we do not get off track as we study.
- The Book is not about wealth. The wealth that Job has at the beginning and the end are seasons of grace and God was not required to give either. They display God’s affection for Job but they must take a back seat in our study. If the whole subject of wealth were removed the central theme would remain intact. Remember Job himself never once cried over the cattle.
- Job is not a place we go to study didactic text in search of doctrine. The narrative is an honest representation of the dialog of Job and his friends. To dig for doctrine in the oratory will lead us down the wrong road. We should rather step back and identity the overall movements that are taking place.
- Don’t give up. The people talk a long time and say many things, and it is easy to lose focus if we forget the main purpose of the book.
- God does not change. The account causes such strong feelings of injustice at times that we begin to make excuses for Gods actions or allow God’s attributes to shift to make events easier to swallow.
The opening narrative (chapter 1)
No time is wasted here. Job’s character is described, his substance quantified, and then all is lost.
Satan
The name Satan really means "adversary," but in all the Old Testament he is only mentioned a few times. Even more startling is that he appears before God along with the angels. It is not until the end of Revelation that he is cast out of the presence of God for good. How else could he be the accuser of the brethren unless he has an audience with God. His presence reminds us that the adversary of the Old Testament patriarchs and Israel is almost always a natural force such as drought, famine, or a hostile nation. Here we have a quick reminder that the real battle is for the human race and their souls. As Christians we assume this has always been understood because Jesus exposed the devil in such a way the we are always aware of this fight, but the lack of text about Satan should remind us that this passage allowed the reader at that time, a special look into things not yet understood.
Who’s in charge here?
Read verse 15. The Sabeans took Jobs cattle. If you did not know the story of what happened in heaven (which Job did not), we would assume that the Sabeans of their of free-will saw an opportunity and stole them. However, we do have the plot and we know that Satan made them do it but Satan could only do what God would allow so God took Jobs cattle. The Sabeans were cattle thieves from the start and Satan only had to present them the opportunity. Satan was a liar from the beginning and the advisory of all mankind. He only needed permission to act, but God granted the authority for the action. This destroys the idea of dualism. If Satan must ask God for permission then Good and Evil or God and the Devil are not equal opposing forces as dualism suggest. Dualism is a view that robs God of his sovereign control of the universe.
Is God the author of evil?
The next question is not so easy. Is God the author of evil? We know that He created calamity for the day of calamity and that He could stop any act at any moment, but He allows trouble and suffering to continue. We know that He knows the end from the beginning so that nothing surprises Him, so if He knows what is going to happen and can stop it but does not, we can reason that He ordained it. But we need to make a distinction here. Ill will toward someone is the evil present in Satan and the Sabeans. The will to allow trouble to happen to Job is with God, but it is not born out of ill will toward Job. Our mistake is that we see them as the same thing. God allowing trouble is not the same as Satan’s intent to hurt someone with that same trouble. So who is responsible? God, Satan, and the Sabeans are responsible, but all for different reasons. Do not allow your mind to reduce God’s character in order to solve this problem. Josephs brother meant it for evil but God meant it for good.
As the chapter comes to a close we see Job strong in his will to continue to serve and honor God. Verse 21 is one of his great statements of strength and dedication. Job coins some memorable phrases for us to look to in times of trouble and use in times of exhortation. Finally, notice the succinct way the chapter closes, almost as if the book is ending and Job has escaped with his life and integrity, like a storm that a ship seems to have outrun, surly this is enough for one man to endure.
The trial continues (chapter 2)
As if the current losses are not enough, Satan asks for one more torture to place on Job in hopes of making him crack. At this point, it hurts to hear Satan ask for this and it hurts for God to allow it. Our reaction reveals that we usually have a man-centered view of life rather than a God centered view. If God is good, then how can He allow these things to happen to Job? If we stand on the biblical truth that God is good, then we must believe that there is a greater purpose for His actions when they appear hurtful. The problem is we try to find a greater purpose for His actions that benefit Job, and in our own trials we look for a greater purpose that ultimately suits us. All this thinking is man centered. It is possible that we must suffer for God to receive sufficient glory and honor? Is it possible that the best overall outcome includes our suffering? This is taught clearly in the Bible (Philippians 1:29). Job forces us to realize that the word “good” used as an attribute of God must mean something different then what is convenient or pleasing to us as men. God-centered thinking places man low enough to be used by God at His will and for His glory to produce the best possible outcome. Practically speaking, the God-centered Christian life is the pursuit of God in such a way that we desire be changed by Him for his purpose and glory. The man-centered Christian life is that by works and prayer we change the will of God so that we benefit from his goodness in the way that is most pleasing to us. The latter is also the goal of all pagan religions and is why idolatry is the primary sin of the whole Bible. We do not like God so we change Him.
Chapter 2 concludes with seven days of silence. Jobs body is covered in boils, he has resisted bad advice from his wife, and three of his friends have come to comfort and morn with him. Seven days with no words! The following chapters will prove that in those seven days Job and his friends did plenty of thinking. Each have their own questions and answers.
The debate (chapters 3–37)
There is no way to cover the conversations chapter by chapter without losing interest due to repetition. At the same time there is no way to cover them in one section of notes. So this next section is my attempt to bring out the main themes of the conversation between Job and his friends. The dialogue is lengthy and wordy at times. This may be due to their place in history, but may also shed some light on the disposition of the speakers. Let’s try to point out some common threads that are woven throughout this section.
The big question: "Why?"
The question, "Why?" is not stated plainly in any of the discussion. Job does not have the luxury of knowing that this is a competition of sorts between higher powers. He and his friends never ask the question directly, but every one of their speeches contains an effort to answer the question, "why is this happening to Job?" Their reasoning is centered on an idea that seems agreed upon by all parties: "God blesses righteousness and punishes sin." This assumption leads his friends to the conclusion that Job has sinned. Because of this, Job is drawn into a debate where he defends his own righteousness. This prompts his friends to say that Job is elevating himself above God and they go on and on about the righteousness of God. Job agrees, but he realizes that they are only trying to defend their first position, and therefore he again defends his position. If there is any fault in Job, it is that he is self-righteous, however do not forget that he was drawn into this position by a false assumption, three critical friends, and the worst tragedy recorded in the Bible. The original assumption was, "God blesses righteousness and punishes sin." We all know this to be true on the surface and the Bible supports it, but there is not a one-to-one correlation. Jesus heals the lame man and says, "go and sin no more lest a worst thing come upon you," (John 5:14) and then in another case he is asked who sinned that this man was made blind and he answers, "no man but that the glory of God may be manifest" (John 9:3). What Job and his friends are not allowing for is that there is another level, which only God Himself can see and in that place man may suffer without doing wrong. So in an attempt to answer why, and armed with an incomplete doctrine of the goodness of God, Job becomes more and more frustrated and confused as the discussion goes on. This condition leads us to our next point.
The mediator
Because Job cannot convince his friends that he is innocent, he begins to call upon the Lord for an answer. The point is made that there is not a man to stand between him and God (9:32-33). We cannot read this without recognizing the solution to the problem is Christ. We now have a mediator who is God and has been a man so that perfect mediation can be made for us. Job did not have this. The absence of a mediator caused him to ask for an answer directly from God (3:1-9). This is a request he will be granted but will not enjoy.
Integrity
Though he made mistakes and was drawn into boasting and became bold enough to ask for a meeting with God, he did not sin or curse God. They did not try to misplace Job’s condition as some random act of chance as we would today. We would blame the fall, the world, sinners and so on to account for the suffering, but Job does not degrade God’s character by allowing this event to become something God did not see coming or could not stop. The event lies in the hands of God and Job is angry but does not curse Him. He is frustrated, but he does not sin. In our day, there is a lack of regard for keeping the commandments, but in the day of confusion and trouble the commandments are an anchor. They can be kept when we feel no love toward God, and in the simple act of keeping them we show that we truly love Him no matter how we feel. Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commandments."
Wealth
Surprisingly, Job never once mentioned loosing anything. Today, we would only care about the value of the cattle and houses. We would cry over the death of our loved ones, but Job is from the east, and his main focus is the loss of respect and honor in the community. This may be because of time or location or both, but it still applies in our day. Maybe that’s because he worked so hard to gain honor, and maybe we don’t think much about it because we’ve never earned it in the first place.
The conclusion (chapters 38-42)
We are ready for a rescue. We are tired of words that change nothing, we are tired of Job’s condition, and we are tired of wondering how God is going to keep His goodness intact while He explains to Job His perfect will for him. Then we read on and words hit us like a wrecking ball because none of our expectations are met.
In 38:2, God asks, "Who is this?" It’s Job, your faithful servant, surely you know who he is. The question is not, "who are you?" It is, "who do you think you are?" And in 38:3, God said, "I will demand of thee, and answer thou me." It was like He was saying, "Since you seem to know so much, let me ask you some questions."
In two statements God has reduced Job to rubble. It’s not what we expect, but by claiming righteousness and wisdom, Job has encroached on Gods glory. He has trespassed into His place. Before we can peruse true righteousness and wisdom, we must first be taught humility. This may be the most painful place in the whole book.
Why the questions?
They initially come across as a statement of qualification. If you can answer any of these questions, then I will answer yours. It is a response to Job’s request for an audience with God. The Lord is saying, "If you would like to speak to me as if we are on equal terms, then prove you are equal." The central theme is "Job is not worthy of an answer from God." All knowledge of God is a gift, and all answers and revelations are gifts of grace. We feel so entitled to an explanation, and we can suffer quietly as long as we know how long, how bad, and for what purpose we are suffering. He did not reveal it to Job, and He will not likely reveal it to us. If we knew the purpose we would change our behavior and the purpose would be lost.
What are the questions?
They began with creation and moved on to the natural world. They speak of weather and animals and are filled with questions that Job has not asked or even thought of. Most importantly, he cannot answer one of them. The central theme is "If Job cannot answer these questions, he would not be able to understand why even if God told him." Also, the use of questions from creation seems to say to Job, "only if you had been here from the beginning could you understand the purpose." Likewise, we cannot know the full reason for our trials. It is foolish to think we are worthy of an answer, and foolish to think we could understand even if we were told. Job is a God-exalting, man-humbling book.
Final point
When we struggle in life we wrestle with all the questions that come out in this book. When we read the Bible we often do the same. We can trace it all back to that one tree in the garden that was not like any other tree. If God knew what Adam and Eve would do, why did He put the tree there in the first place? Firstly, it was the opportunity to serve Him in a special way. More importantly, the world was created so that God could redeem from it a bride for His Son. For that bride to be perfect, she must be redeemed. In order to be redeemed, she must first fall. The purposes of God are too big for us to understand, let us rejoice that we have been given a part, and never forget that his own Son suffered according to this mater plan. "Not my will but thine be done."
Notes to incorporate
Job’s Pain (1:6-22 – 2:8…) 1:13-19 {the first wave of pain; 1:6-12 – 2:1-6 {the reason for the trial; the devil will help you to lead you into temptation; The mind is like a computer and what you put in, is stored forever unless a miracle of God is performed. There was no one more highly stricken like Jesus Christ; It is not in big numbers or high offerings, The reason for the trials is because there was confrontation between God and Satan; and there will be no temptation that you cannot bear, because what you bear the Lord knows and has equipped you
Job’s Pity
10-20-05 Philippians 4:11-13 As ministers of the Gospel there will be times of blessings and times of cursing, times of joys and times of tears, but through every situation we must learn to be content. Remember that with everything that comes our way is allowed through Jesus Christ, and He knows what we are able to bear.
- The First Wave: Job lost everything tangible: heritage, homes, children, cattle, servants Praise the Lord through your trials. Murphy’s Law: Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.
- The Second Wave: His person is attacked A boil is usually a bad blood, All the trials resulted because of a confrontation between the devil and the Lord. Job 12:1
Nothing will happen to you unless it is first approved by the Lord. Hebrews 11:32-40; James 1:2-3; I Peter 1:7; 4:12 A great testimony is that when you go through a hard, hard trial you go through it. Going into the ministry is a wonderful thing, but you will never receive more trials, heartache, and pain. You need to be prayed up, filled up, and your faith strong.
A lot of people don’t want to know more truth; they just want to stay where they are. People who are in the way and have been in the way for 50 years and are going to stay in the way.
Memorize I Corinthians 10:12, 13
When you deal with leadership; everything will rise and fall with leadership. Rising and falling like a mountain. You may be falling but falling forward and not backwards. We need pillars in the church and people who will push the vision. You cannot do it by yourself; but you need people who can help you, help each other. You will come into the world with nothing and leave this world with nothing. God has called us to be servants and not to serve. We are called to be a Shepard; We need to pour ourself into these people; and not feathering our own nests. To many people are trying to make a name for themselves, but remember what you sow you shall reap. In this church age it is about networking; Through every trial, Job never blamed God in the trial.
In my situation, I pushed, pushed, pushed; the church, I didn’t get hardly any sleep, didn’t eat much, I forsook my family, And I got so wrapped up in ministry that I lost my call for God. It is God’s church and not your church, do it God’s way. Learn to trust the Lord; LISTEN to the Holy Ghost. If you get out of the Will of God, than you will pay; Solomon didn’t want riches and fame but he just wanted wisdom to lead his people. Lost my laptop, my instruments, my home, my family, my cloths, and than they for 7 days they just sit there and stare at him. These were his friends. Until you have walk in someone’s footsteps than you have to be very careful how you deal with them. Jesus said to the woman go and sin no more; He said there was no accusers, neither Him; He dealt with the issue straight on, he dealt with the issue yet with compassion. Holiness in living is more than just looking the part. It is more than just something you do it is something that you are. If the fruit is not on the tree, it is worthless and needs to be cut down; But also remember that it is not your job to cut down the tree. If we are going to be a family we need to work together.
11-3-05 God sees past, present and future all at the same time. You belong to him. I don’t think there is anything more devastating than losing your children and Job lost all his children on one day. Just because trials and tribulations and hard times come does not mean you have done something wrong necessarily. Gold is a type of deity. We get too comfortable in this world. This is not our home. Instead of pointing a finger at someone else, remember there are three more pointing back at you. When you go through hard times, remember to put a smile on your face. And not just a superficial smile; Job’s Despair 3:1-26 You can make it where God has called you. You will face oppositions in ministry; you are trying to do what you can to obey God, and people will come against you and try to stop you. How you react to oppositions will have a determining factor how you will succeed. Bible School is not the end but just the beginning. If we are not careful we can read the book of Job with an attitude. Faith Movement: Blab it and grab it, name it and frame it Many times we don’t consider what our brother is going through; Philippians 4:7 Galatians 6:1-3 Put the things that Job went through and apply them through your life. Condemnations 4:1-5 The most painful blows are the blows from your friends. It hurts more when it comes from someone that you love. A lot of times certain people just love to stir up trouble. Now his friends considered just because he was going through troubles is the result of some sin in his life. Beware of the people that will prophesy over you and say this and that concerning you. God told me thus and thus. God will not reveal things that are not truthful to that individual. Spirituality is not determined by how great we can sing, how good we worship and even how load we preach. Spirituality is based on our walk with God and our lives producing fruit. What are we leaving behind, footprints (someone’s blessing or something – dipped his foot in oil – in the Bible) Oil a type of the joy of the Holy Spirit Wherever you walk you will leave a footprint, but what kind of footprint? Oil or just mud Matthew 7:
11-10-05 Spirituality is based on our walk with God and the fruit we are bearing. Maybe we are not called to judge but we are called to be fruit inspectors. And if a tree is not bearing good fruit, we must remember that we are not called to lay the axe to it either. Fruits and works are not the same thing. …by their works we shall know them… Proverbs 1:31; Proverbs 11:30; Isaiah 3:10; Hebrews 13:15; Romans 7:4, 5; Galatians 5:22, 23; James 3:17, 18; Ephesians 5:9; Galatians 5:20 Fruit is this: Faith is… Temperance is… We need to be fruit inspectors, but we need to make sure that our fruit is right. We need to have push – pull ministries. (pull your brothers up, and push them that are above us) Flesh is flesh no matter whose bones it is on. We need to build one another up in the Lord. The things that you face here is on a small scale. And in the ministry, you are dealing with people, and when you are dealing with people, you will deal with conflict. Temperance: self-control I Corinthians 12: Right after he deals with the gifts, I Corinthians 13:, He deals with love – without love gifts are sounding brass and tinkling cymbals To edify means to build up; Anyone can come in and tear it down, but we are called to build up We need to know His voice – my sheep know His voice (not be called to spiritual giants, but to touch lives and to make a difference: Our mission and goal is to win souls for Christ) Chapter 4:18-21 Chapter 5: Prosperity is not a taboo thing, it is not a bad thing; but just because your rich or poor doesn’t make you more spiritual. Job argues that the greatness of sorrows gives him the right to complain. Chapter 6: I wish that God would kill me. Have you ever been to the place, that you just want your next breath to be your last breath. Philippians 4:7, 8 The devil condemns, and the spirit of God convicts. We must be bringing forth fruit,
11-17-05 Memorize Job 19:25, 26 Job as blameless and upright man Job falls to the ground and worships God in the midst of finding out that he has lost everything. A lot of preachers face hard times, and give it all up. When the hard times come, worship God. A secure person, when they are going through hard times, does not give up, but trusts God. Going into the ministry is not going to be rosy, but it will be difficult. If you are going through weeks and months of no problems than there is something wrong. Three cycles of debate;
Leadership Lessons in the book of Job: Mature leaders maintain perspective especially when going through hard times
Good leaders remain teachable and choose their leaders wisely You don’t want “yes men” on your board, they will not let you know, when you are in trouble. They will cuddle you in your sin. Be careful who you go to counsel, and gather wisdom from.
Integrity and character are the foundations of leadership Be the same person that you are here that you are in home
Never pretend to know all the answers We can live without knowing all the answers.
Effective leaders make adjustments when things go wrong. Leadership qualities don’t come from the world, but come from God.
David had lids, and Saul had lids; We all have stuff in our lives and we can hide behind the stuff. We need to get out from amongst the stuff. The one that God chooses is the If you keep looking at yourself in the natural, you will never see yourself as capable. Who God calls, He equips. One became a great leader, the other did not. David submitted and Saul did not submit. Saul ruled out of his position, and did not have real effect. You can not lead out of your position; you lead of integrity and character. God exalts and God positions. You must remain humble to the Lord in every position. He takes the simple things of the world to confound the wise. It is not a matter of position; it is a matter of helping people and leading people to Christ. It is not a matter of being right and winning an argument but rather persuading them and leading them to Christ.
The law of connection: Leaders touch the heart before they ask for a hand. To lead yourself you use your head / To lead others you use your heart. Move them with emotion and not false emotion – Leaders connect with people It is difficult to connect people, when you are looking for a position. Use these tools and use these gifts. Be faithful in the small things, and He will use you in the great things.
You will never accomplish anything in your own. You must be in the place that He can use you.
A most urgent requirement for being a leader: What am I doing for others? You are not called to be served; you are called to “be a servant”. Bring a person up to a position with Christ. Too many people have left the call of God and got into the business of the church. “If doesn’t come from the outside, it must come from the inside” – Sis. Gibson Don’t go looking for positions: You are called to preach: God will place you where he desires.
“To make an impact on people be a river and not a reservoir”
A sponge can only hold so much; and if it is not rung out and soaked back in than you will begin to stick. Moses had to learn to lead sheep before he could lead the Israelites. Sometimes we feel like we are shoveling sand against the tide. Encourage one another and serve one another.
12-1-05 Don’t ever think that leadership is everything. But the driving force is the spirit of life inspiring your words to meet the soul of men. Wait on God; get a message from God, to bring to the people. You must be river and not a reservoir. Waiting on God, People are looking at you as the future leaders of the church. People wait around for people to open doors it won’t happen. You have to wait on God, to open the doors for you, and for you to walk through them. Be a river, get it out there, and don’t allow it to be stagnant in your life. There is earthly wisdom and than there is heavenly wisdom. Now is the time that you dig your toes in the sand, and get dedicated, and get ready for ministry. Be prepared, and be ready now! Opportunity will not wait, even while you pray. Get connected to that heavenly connection. We need that wisdom from above, and it does not come from natural sources. Thou he slay you, trust him. – You will have to die, for him to use you. If God calls you to do something, then he will equip you to do that task. Big dreams, big visions – we all have, but we usually fall flat on our face, though we say we will do it better than anyone else. Have you given up you life up for the cause; Galatians 2:20 …I am crucified with Christ… Don’t get in the mindset of the business aspect of the church. Wherever God calls you; you go…if you have to live in a shack, than do the will of God. The ministry is not a business; it is calling to share the Gospel. Sacrifice for God, really sacrifice for God… If your not called, If your sold out to God, If your not hearing his voice…Than you will not make it. God cannot be on the outside of your ministry, is He constantly abiding. We live a feathered life, but is that real, true sacrifice. Is the Word of God established in your life? Be oh so careful about reading any old book, many authors, many ideas and many false ideas. Unless you have the mind of God, than you will deal correctly; You cannot judge correctly unless you living correctly. We need a heart connection with our audience. A good communicator seeks to understand, before they are understood. Respect: James Reynolds, we saw a man dedicated and committed to him. We should be in so in tune with God, that when He speaks everything stops and you listen and obey. Learn submissiveness to authority, lift up our leaders, work under them and see this work go forward.
12-15-05 Leaders think differently than followers. A renewed perspective; He was able to let go of his past. When the devil reminds you of your past, remind him of his future. James 3:11-18
“Whatever you win them with, you must keep them with.”
Praying and praying through is so important. You will hardly hear it anymore. Though circumstances fail, and troubles come your way, you must remain consistent. Not everybody will enjoy your talent and ability. Usually that will get you in the door. But unless you have the anointing and power it will not last. Self-understanding that I am nothing without Christ; Remember that there is always someone better then you.
They don’t know how to pray and pray through and they run on talent and ability and fail.
Without a vision the people parish; Instead of pretending to be in control, model a life being under control. We must fall under the authority that God has set us under. Be a help and not a hindrance.
Don’t let your ego get in the way. People start exalting you, and they want to separate and start their own church with you – dear God. Be vary, vary, vary careful. People will try to wine and dine you to get some kind of control of the reigns. David never took the throne from David, because he recognized Saul’s authority. Under authority God will bless you.
→ We are workers together It is not how big it is, it is obeying the Lord. Be thankful to be under the reigns for now. Should you be in authority that is so much responsibility.
Sheep are dumb understand they have limitations. Leaders must model life; living from character and not from life.
In a marriage, sometimes, no matter what you do it is wrong. Don’t allow your emotions to get the best of you. Don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater. A Key: Keep going; keep working, never let up for a moment Push with them; Pull with them – Work together and not against them Colossians 1:27 Fills you to completion – You need the Holy Ghost Job 39:1-7 A danger every spiritual leader faces: Don’t pretend to know everything Eschatology: Dealing with the end times events / People use big words to talk to you. You don’t need to project self confidence. But know who you are in Christ. Don’t ever get too big to be too small to say you are sorry. And don’t sweep it under the rug, because it will show itself. Good leaders feel secure enough to repent when they are wrong. Like all great leaders he refuses to give vengeance and hold grudges.
The Low road: takes revenge; plays the same game as others play, step on anybody to get on top; guided by feeling; reactive, no better than anybody else The High road: makes action of unconditional love and forgiveness; refuses to play games and lives on principles; guided by character and values; proactive, lives above human standards, more than God has equipped you.
If you look at your limitations, than you will always feel limited and be limited.
Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. The most looked up dictionary word on the internet was integrity.
[Homework: What truths spoke to you, what spoke to you to help you and others?]
The Revelations of Job
Job 42:1-7 Job spoke of the things that were right. Job 40:4-5 I. Job saw the need for a mediator (savior) Job 9:32-35 (Daysman means mediator) Mediator- middle- between 1 Timothy 2:5-6 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; (6) Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
John 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
Hebrews 7:24-25
Romans 8:34
1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
II. Job had a revelation of a redeemer and resurrection Job 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: Job had an eternal perspective. With a vision of resurrection we can endure hardship. I Thessalonians 4:13-18 1 Corinthians 15:52
III. Job saw his hardship as a test and not a final judgment Job 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
Psalms 11:5 The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.
Psalm 34:9
II Timothy 3:11-12
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