A question about Job.

[brinny]

Originally Posted by brinny View Post
I had avoided the book of Job for the longest time. Since delving into it, it has been an on-going Bible study for me.....especially how joy is associated with the "fear of the Lord" and man's definition of this "fear" vs God's definition, and what this verse means:

"the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love." ~Psalm 147:11

and this one (amongst others)

"The fear of the Lord is a life-giving fountain." ~Proverbs 14:27

Thank you kindly.

There is actually quite a deeper principle involved with these matters. It is a deeply philosophical question that God poses to us all and answers in Christ.

That a man/woman who loses everything does in fact GAIN all things.

It's a very hard thing to come into contact with, but it is a scriptural reality.

Care to elaborate?

Thank you kindly.

 

[squint]

Care to elaborate?

Thank you kindly.

Jesus drew directly from Job for this observation of the deeper questions:

Matthew 16:26
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

And James as well, here:

James 4:4
Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

This is ultimately the question that Satan brings to every believer in one form or another.

1 John 2:15
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

There is a world and a self we are to lose.

 

[brinny]

Thank you kindly for sharing the verses.

 

[brinny]

so i'm listening to the announcer reading Psalm 128 right before prayer time, and lo and behold, there are two verses in particular that just "slammed" me.....

there's verse 1:

" (A Song of degrees.) Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways." ~Psalm 128:1

and then verse 4:

"Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD." ~Psalm 128:4

Both verses speak of the "fear of the Lord" and surrounding those two verses are verses about how God will bless those who "fear" Him.

In verse 2 it speaks of the blessing of being "happy":

"For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee." ~Psalm 128:2

This exploration of the "fear of the Lord" is becoming more and more interesting......what is standing out here is how the word "blessed" is describing the "state" of those who "fear the Lord", and then the word "happy" is used in verse 2 to describe the state of those who fear the Lord..

 

[brinny]

..so i'm listening to the announcer read Proverbs 14 right before praying for the nation today and these verses loomed out:

"In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death." ~Proverbs 14:26-27

The fear of the Lord is:

strong confidence
place of refuge
fountain of life
provides escape from the snares of death

Makes ya' kinda ponder on what exactly the fear of the Lord is, exactly.

 

[ChristsSoldier115]

Jesus drew directly from Job for this observation of the deeper questions:

Matthew 16:26
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

And James as well, here:

James 4:4
Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

This is ultimately the question that Satan brings to every believer in one form or another.

1 John 2:15
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

There is a world and a self we are to lose.

Are you implying that Job possessed pride in his things?

 

[Rick Otto]

>gasp!<

 

[Rick Otto]

..so i'm listening to the announcer read Proverbs 14 right before praying for the nation today and these verses loomed out:

"In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death." ~Proverbs 14:26-27

The fear of the Lord is:

strong confidence
place of refuge
fountain of life
provides escape from the snares of death

Makes ya' kinda ponder on what exactly the fear of the Lord is, exactly.

I think at this point we can call it a "broad term" that requires context for specific meaning.
So what can we say it means in general?

 

[brinny]

Originally Posted by brinny View Post
..so i'm listening to the announcer read Proverbs 14 right before praying for the nation today and these verses loomed out:

"In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death." ~Proverbs 14:26-27

The fear of the Lord is:

strong confidence
place of refuge
fountain of life
provides escape from the snares of death

Makes ya' kinda ponder on what exactly the fear of the Lord is, exactly.

I think at this point we can call it a "broad term" that requires context for specific meaning.
So what can we say it means in general?

What're your thoughts on that? Care to share?

Thank you kindly.

 

[squint]

Are you implying that Job possessed pride in his things?

Anyone who is engaged with God in Christ will suffer tribulation and chastisement without them perceiving doing anything wrong to 'deserve it.'

Guaranteed.

 

[ChristsSoldier115]

Anyone who is engaged with God in Christ will suffer tribulation and chastisement without them perceiving doing anything wrong to 'deserve it.'

Guaranteed.

So.. yes?

 

[squint]

So.. yes?

Your slant was to blame Job. I don't buy it.

 

[ChristsSoldier115]

Your slant was to blame Job. I don't buy it.

I'm just asking if you think it was Job's fault. So that is a no then?

 

[squint]

I'm just asking if you think it was Job's fault. So that is a no then?

I use this example often, and (to me) it's a valid sight.

Look at Paul's description of himself, here:

2 Corinthians 12:7
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

God always maintains every right to deal adversely with the party in RED regardless of the party in blue.

We don't have to blame BLUE to understand adversity when we have the party in red in our proper sights.

Hope you get the picture. Excuse me for dumbing it down with colors and bolds.

 

[ChristsSoldier115]

All you have to say is "no. I think Satan is at fault" or something. Sheesh it is a simple yes or no question. Quit making it so complicated.

Some people like to blame Job, but than that contradicts Job 1:8, So they're right.. because God is always right. That is why i was asking.


From what I gather, the question Job is:

Why do bad things happen to good people?

Answer?:

Because of Satan.

I think after all these years I have read too much into the narrative in the beginning. God and Satan aren't making 7 billion+ bets over everyone all the time. The dialog was just added to point out that God Himself is not against you at all. At no point in Job's plight does God personally do anything other than confirm Job is blameless and righteous regardless of what he has.

Was Job a real man and this story was written down to teach from his example or was it a Hebrew story to teach us more on suffering? The more I look at the beginning narrative I tend to think it might be the latter.

 

[faroukfarouk]

The key to Job is patience.

 

[ChristsSoldier115]

The key to Job is patience.

haha that is funny to me actually.


The last exchange of dialog between God and Job is summed up with:

Job: I thought I was righteous and did everything right why would you do this to me? I am faithful.

God: Who are you to question me? Were you there when I created everything? Can you do what I do?

Job: My bad. You're awesome. I am not. It won't happen again.

Does God seriously answer Job's inquires at all? It is frustrating from a theological perspective. It is like God is saying, "You don't have the right to question Me! I am God! I am always right!" and well.. he is right on that. We don't have the right. We should be grateful HE is as gracious as He is.

 

[faroukfarouk]

haha that is funny to me actually.


The last exchange of dialog between God and Job is summed up with:

Job: I thought I was righteous and did everything right why would you do this to me? I am faithful.

God: Who are you to question me? Were you there when I created everything? Can you do what I do?

Job: My bad. You're awesome. I am not. It won't happen again.

Does God seriously answer Job's inquires at all? It is frustrating from a theological perspective. It is like God is saying, "You don't have the right to question Me! I am God! I am always right!" and well.. he is right on that. We don't have the right. We should be grateful HE is as gracious as He is.

James 5.11: "Ye have heard of the patience of Job."

 

[brinny]

I came across this verse this morning...it speaks of those who "fear God"....it's a verse that has always gently embraced my heart because of this part ("healing in His wings"), and is precious beyond words......however it wasn't till this morning that i noticed the rest of it, about "fearing God":

"But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall." ~Malachi 4:2

What a precious verse this is....in how it ties the "fear of the Lord" to "healing".

 

[Setyoufree]

James 5.11: "Ye have heard of the patience of Job."

Patience doesn't = righteousness.

Job patiently learned the lessons God had for him. He didn't turn his back on God, as his wife suggested. But he did have a lesson to learn.