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We all love smooth seas and sunny days; and if we had our way, there would be no storms, no clouds, no sorrows, and no losses. But Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33), so we need to learn to be good sailors. In this series on the book of Job, we discover that if you are on stormy seas, you have a Captain for your faith and an anchor for your soul.
More often than not, the greatest athletic performances come when everything is on the line—when backs are against the wall. Out of times of great pressure and anxiety can come moments of great beauty and wonder. This very thing happens in the 19th chapter of Job. In a moment when he is overwhelmed with the misery of his life, Job utters a powerful and moving statement that speaks of His Redeemer—Jesus Christ. Covers Job 18-19.
The breadth of information now available instantaneously has created a society where all that matters to people is what is happening at the current moment. But just as you can’t judge the strength of a company or business at a momentary glance, neither can you judge a life by looking at a portion of it. True knowledge and wisdom come from a having a broad perspective on life—an eternal perspective. Covers Job 20-21.
There is probably nothing worse than being unjustly accused of a crime. That in itself is bad enough. But there is something even worse than a false allegation—imagine having no one to rectify the truth, to assertively defend the innocent from that false charge! That is the reality Job continues to face. His friends persist in attacking him. The only one who can defend him is God, and God is silent. Covers Job 22 - 24.
Job is literally in a powerless situation. He has nothing of value on the earth. He is physically on the verge of death. His pious friends come only to antagonize him. He has no power to change the situation in which God has placed him. But instead of focusing on his lack of power, he focuses on the awesome power of God that has no bounds. Even in his suffering, Job knows that God reigns. Covers Job 25-28.
It is often easy to sentimentalize the past to make it seem more pleasant and sweeter than it really was at the time. But before his trials came, Job really did live an extraordinary life. He was blessed in every single facet of his life. He experienced the highest highs and now faced the heartbreak of the lowest lows. At this point Job initiates a request to God for future justice. Covers Job 29-31.
Generally, younger people turn to older generations of men and women for advice and comfort during tough times. It is just common sense to seek wisdom from people who have already seen and gone through the various trials that occur throughout life. But Elihu reverses roles in the final chapters of Job. He thinks that he has wisdom to impart to his older counterpart—and he actually has the mettle to voice his views. Covers Job 32–33.
Perspective changes everything. Someone who is 5 feet tall sees the world in a far different way than a 7-foot basketball player. A 4-year-old experiences that world in a far different fashion than an 84-year-old. And we certainly see things differently than the God of all ages, the maker of heaven and earth. And if there is a perspective from which to live and lean on, it is His. Covers Job 34-37.
Some people just can’t resist knowing the end of a story. Many people read the last page of a novel first, just so that they will know what is going to happen. And so we find ourselves now at the end of Job’s story. And for all the pain and suffering he has endured, the blessing he receives at the end of his trial far supersedes anything he enjoyed before his life fell apart. Covers Job 38-42.
