God's Testimony
It has been far too long since I have posted a blog. It's time to get back on the horse!
This week is an excerpt from the book of Job, not to be confused with the occupation.
Job 1:1-8
I personally love this story for one simple reason- we see the favor and testimony of God to a faithful man. I want to point out the type of man Job was. Job is the type of man that is described in Proverbs 8:13, "to fear the LORD is to hate evil..." Job was such a man that feared God that he went to extremes to remain in purity. When I read his story it makes me want to step up my game on the holiness court before God. Job is a man who sharpens the iron of my manhood, and inspires me to press on into righteousness.
We see that Job was a man who priorities his relationship to God when the scripture says that he would "send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings..." This would be like telling your wife, and kids to get up before the sun after a big party so that we can go and recommit our lives to God through worship. I honestly cannot remember the last time I was up before the sun.
I want to point out that Job was just not nominally devoted to God. Job lived his life in such a way that he disturbed Satan, and received an honorable mention before God in the presence of Satan. This also raises the question, are we living a life that disrupts Satan in such a way that Satan himself asks God if he can attack out lives? If we are not then we need to spend some time reflecting on who it is that we are following, God, or Satan?
My final point is that of how God testified of Job. Job 1:8 says, "For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.” This is noteworthy! The faithfulness of Job did not go unnoticed by God. In fact, God testified of the type of man Job was. Think about the implications of this. The same God that spoke the earth into existence testified of the type of man that Job was. Isaiah 55:11 says, "So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it."
Put what God said about Job together with Isaiah 55:11, and we see that God's testimony was Job's success. It was not Job's efforts, or hyper-religious activity that was his success, it was what God testified about Job. Yes, Job's faithfulness does count. I believe that Job's faithfulness and fear of God counted in God testimony of Job, but I want to point out that the testimony of God was Job's reward and success.
I will end by asking what is God saying about your faithfulness and fear of Him? Are you too lax in your fear of God? Finally, what is God testifying about you, and how is that success and victory in your life?
Hear what God has to say about you:
Psalm 139:18-19a
This week is an excerpt from the book of Job, not to be confused with the occupation.
Job 1:1-8
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. His
possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500
female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was the greatest of all the men of the east. His
sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day,
and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with
them. When the
days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would according to the number of them all; for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.”
I personally love this story for one simple reason- we see the favor and testimony of God to a faithful man. I want to point out the type of man Job was. Job is the type of man that is described in Proverbs 8:13, "to fear the LORD is to hate evil..." Job was such a man that feared God that he went to extremes to remain in purity. When I read his story it makes me want to step up my game on the holiness court before God. Job is a man who sharpens the iron of my manhood, and inspires me to press on into righteousness.
We see that Job was a man who priorities his relationship to God when the scripture says that he would "send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings..." This would be like telling your wife, and kids to get up before the sun after a big party so that we can go and recommit our lives to God through worship. I honestly cannot remember the last time I was up before the sun.
I want to point out that Job was just not nominally devoted to God. Job lived his life in such a way that he disturbed Satan, and received an honorable mention before God in the presence of Satan. This also raises the question, are we living a life that disrupts Satan in such a way that Satan himself asks God if he can attack out lives? If we are not then we need to spend some time reflecting on who it is that we are following, God, or Satan?
My final point is that of how God testified of Job. Job 1:8 says, "For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.” This is noteworthy! The faithfulness of Job did not go unnoticed by God. In fact, God testified of the type of man Job was. Think about the implications of this. The same God that spoke the earth into existence testified of the type of man that Job was. Isaiah 55:11 says, "So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it."
Put what God said about Job together with Isaiah 55:11, and we see that God's testimony was Job's success. It was not Job's efforts, or hyper-religious activity that was his success, it was what God testified about Job. Yes, Job's faithfulness does count. I believe that Job's faithfulness and fear of God counted in God testimony of Job, but I want to point out that the testimony of God was Job's reward and success.
I will end by asking what is God saying about your faithfulness and fear of Him? Are you too lax in your fear of God? Finally, what is God testifying about you, and how is that success and victory in your life?
Hear what God has to say about you:
Psalm 139:18-19a
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand.
I like you-your wife
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