(1Peter 4:16) “Yet if anyone suffers as
a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.”
If a man is found blameless and
righteous in his own standings what profit would calamity bring to his life? Job
was such a man.
Lawbreakers when caught face the
penalty for their crimes with time spent in jail as their sentence or worse,
death by execution. Therefore when we view hardships in people’s lives around
us, when we become privy to them we often conclude whether the sentence is
deserved or not. We demand justice! It is a default switch that cannot be avoided,
at least in some measure.
Very few of us like to accept
injustice as we understand it. But the view of calamity in the paths of
Christians has a far greater purpose than that type of understanding. It serves
a far greater resolve, and that is to silence the arch-enemy, the devil. I
suppose if I was to be truthful, there are not many accounts where this is in
plain view. However the story of Job depicts such a wonderful illustration when
viewed correctly, when witnessed with the mind of Christ.
We must understand God’s role in these
events in our lives to reap the required prize. If not we will continue to
grumble and show that in fact we prove only one truth, that we lack faith
towards our God. Wherever He leads will we follow? I understand that growth in
Christ happens over time no differently to the growth of a child into
adulthood. Maturity in Christ is never instantaneous; it is the trial of life
that brings it about.
People (Christians) have concluded
that God brings no evil upon a person as they use these verses to justify their
thoughts; “Blessed
is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the
test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who
love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be
tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is
tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has
conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth
death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.” (James 1:12-16) – Note, look at the context in
which this verse is unpacked; it begins with a believer remaining steadfast
under trial. God can never be blame for us falling into sin for he is not privy
to such temptations; they have no bearing on His existence. It is impossible
for God to be tempted, it is beyond Him. The Lord Jesus felt the pressure of
this when he was a man, finding himself in a body of flesh we see the way
temptation played out in his life; “And going a little
farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My
Father, if it be possible,
let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you
will."” (Matthew
26:39) – Although the Lord Jesus’ directive was very
clear, the pressure he faced in the Garden of Gethsemane brought about a
request to avoid the cup that he was required to drink, but only up to a point.
God
did not bring the temptation upon Job or His Son but He most certainly allowed
it. Why? Well we know the end of Jobs life; he was doubly blessed once he came
through the trial on the other side; “And the LORD blessed the latter days of
Job more than his beginning. And he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke
of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. He had also seven sons and three daughters.”
(Job 42:12-13)
– As for the Lord Jesus
what he endured for our sake entitled Him to not only be our Saviour but also
our high priest; “And no one takes this
honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a
high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, "You are my Son,
today I have begotten you"; as he says also in another place, "You
are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek." In the days of his flesh, Jesus
offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was
able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although
he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made
perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being
designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 5:4-10)
Therefore it cannot be any different for the
believer; every struggle we face throughout our life times serves a purpose and
the sooner we accept our realities the sooner I believe God will allow us to go
onto perfection.
In conclusion, Job’s examples eventually silenced
the devil and revealed God’s brilliance in showing up the Satan as inferior;
God is not subject to anything evil but allows calamity to cross a believer’s life
so that His name would be glorified through it all.
The
Bible is clear on the subject and even the trials that befell Job are penned in
this way; “Then came to him all his brothers
and sisters and all who had known him before, and ate bread with him in his
house. And they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the LORD had brought upon
him. And each of them gave him a piece of money and a ring of gold.” (Job 42:11) –
Note; we see that the evil that Job had to face was accounted to the Lord and
yet we know the way in which this played out, Satan requesting the hardships to
befall Jobs life and only once permission was given by God did that actually
materialise. – See Job chapter 2…
We
must not be so focus on this life and the trial of it all to cloud our
judgments but rather look to eternity where we will receive our reward if and
when we have been found faithful to the call God has placed upon our lives, for
that epoch for the Christian will engulf infinity.
Signing
off
Tyrone
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