Another Job Posting: The Wisdom of Youth
Job:33:23-25 (NIV)
“Yet if there is an angel on his side as a mediator,
one out of a thousand, to tell a man what is right for him, to be gracious to
him and say, “Spare him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom for
him”—then his flesh is renewed like a child’s; it is restored as in the days of
his youth”
The book of Job is a fascinating book in the Bible
and one that we can draw out of on many levels.
The backdrop and knowledge of the Spiritual realm provide us with an
incredible advantage with which to begin our understanding of the book but it
should not however prevent us from identifying with the characters in the story
in many ways. Considered one of the “wisdom”
books, Job presents, argues and helps our understanding of many of life’s real
and puzzling questions. The issues that
Job, through experience and his “friends”, in their attempts to console and
counsel him are the very issues that we often wrestle with in our lives: What is the meaning of good and evil? Where is God when bad things happen to good
people? If God is just then why does He
not stop evil? Why do evil people seem
to prosper? In the dialogues that take
place throughout the book, opinions are expressed, emotions are charged,
accusations are made, and doctrinal theories are presumed with absolute
authority. In the end however, the
Almighty silences them all, humbles man before Himself and expresses His true
nature of love.
There is a temptation and frequent habit of many
believers to take many of the words found in this book and make pithy sayings
about God’s nature and dealings with people, not taking into account that many
of the words found in this book are the words spoken or argued by mere men—many
of which are flat out wrong. There is
also a tendency to use this book as a way to explain their doctrinal
pre-dispositions, again not taking into account that this book, like the other
books of the Old Testament do not adequately outline the Christian life because
they reflect a time that was before
the redemptive work of the cross of Christ.
We have the wonderful advantage of having the full revelation of
salvation through Jesus Christ at our disposal and yet many want desperately to
remain under a covenant that could not justify anyone. The entire Bible from Genesis through
Revelation is about Jesus Christ and his salvation but He is in the Old
Testament concealed and in the New Testament revealed. With this in mind, besides the wisdom gained
from the historical account itself through the dialogue and surrounding
narrative, we have the ability to dig out the precious jewels hidden within the
book (see Proverbs 25:2).
One such “gem” is found in the speech of the young
man Elihu. His character is not even
introduced until the thirty second chapter of the book. Apparently he had been sitting by listening
to the conversation out of respect for the others, all of whom were his
elders. And while Elihu certainly does
not have all the answers to the issues that were being discussed he did bring
out some new and good perspective that his elders had not. Elihu did have an arrogant self confidence
that often accompanies young people but to his credit he could have taught the “old
dogs” some new tricks. They had argued round and round basically holding their
same opinions; as stuck in their ways as many who settle into a certain
doctrine and parrot it unceasingly without even the slightest ability to think
that they could possibly be wrong. This
stubborn dogmatism is a sad reality in many “churches” and denominational
groups today and an unfortunate reason that there are the barriers erected
believers and division within the body of Christ…but I digress…
While Job suffered miserably and desperately longed
for either relief or an explanation of what his wrongdoing was, the three
friends were stuck on their opinion and certainty that when bad things come to
people, it is a result of and punishment for sin in their lives. They continually maintained that Job’s
circumstances were due to a sin, known or unknown in his life of which he
needed to repent of and ask forgiveness for.
This would be the only way, if at all, that his life would get better. They insisted that Job’s prideful attitude
and instance of innocence just made matters worse. Their opinion was that God is just and sees
all, therefore He punishes the evil He sees.
If one was good, there would be no punishment. This is much the same way that many people
see God today. They view Him as being
angry and vengeful in regards to sin.
They claim that because He is just, if we sin He is mad at us and we are
in danger of being punished. They fail
to see that while God certainly is just, His GRACE and mercy mingled with His
justice as the blood and water mas mingled and flowed at the cross of Calvary. Sin was justly
punished at the cross in the body of our Lord and Savior, and they are done
away with forever. The full weight of
God’s holy wrath was exhausted in the
body of Jesus who willingly received it all in our stead as our substitutionary
sacrifice. With our sins punished we are
free from the guilt, penalty and power of sin and FREE to be raised to NEW LIFE
in the risen Christ.
Elihu was disappointed in Job’s insisting that he
had any right to question the almighty at all but also that the elder friends
had nothing more to say than that God must certainly be punishing Job for
sin. This young man had a much higher
and lofty view of God in His love, GRACE and mercy than they had
suggested. While Job accused God of not
answering him, Elihu contended that God speaks in many ways, always
communicating His will and direction for us in one way or another but not in
anger and punishment but out of love and concern. While he admits that sometimes God may be
punishing sin he introduces the element of chastisement to protect man from
going down a wrong path. He tells them
that God will allow man to endure hardship for a season for the man’s greater
good, to draw him closer to and into more dependence on God who loves
them. He did not see God as always the
vengeful punisher of sin as Job’s friends saw Him, or the indifferent and
distant silent God that Job was beginning to think He was but rather but as
completely sovereign with ways that man is incapable of understanding but that
are for man and not against him.
In the middle of his discourse about God, in referring
to His great mercy, Elihu utters words rich with meaning far beyond what he
could have ever intended. As he talked
of men suffering to the point of death, whether for punishment for sin or as a
way to draw him to God save him from himself, he made mention of salvation by
GRACE through a mediator. This picture
of Christ was given to him by the Holy Spirit for our benefit so that we could
reap the rewards of seeing Christ throughout the Scriptures. Elihu shared that if there were an angel on
the suffering man’s side, and not just any angel—a very special mediator, a one
in a thousand type of angel who could help guide a man into all truth, he could
tell help the man what is right and what is wrong and help him to live
right. This pointed to the righteousness
of Christ and also the counselor and guide that we have in the Holy Spirit. He also said that this mediator would bring
GRACE to the man by interceding on his behalf saying, “Spare him from going
down to the grave, I have found a ransom for him.” This naturally can be seen as a picture of
Jesus who is our forever advocate with the Father showing GRACE—unconditional,
unmerited, undeserved favor and who frees us from the punishment of death due
us because by the ransom paid for us who are redeemed, purchased with the
precious blood of Jesus. Elihu says that
through this mediator salvation is found and the man is renewed and restored
and his youth is renewed. It is through
our mediator and only through him that our salvation is found, Salvation is found in no one else, for there
is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved (Acts
4:12).
He went on to say that the restored man’s prayers
are met with favor and He sees the face of God and rejoices. He is restored by God and declared righteous
by Him. That man will happily become a
witness to the goodness of God telling people that while he was a sinner, God
in His mercy did not give him what he deserved.
Instead through GRACE, God redeemed him from death and gave him
life. This is God’s will for man and if
the chastisement of suffering is needed to turn a man from error and save him,
God will do this over and over but it is not because God is angry or punishing
sin necessarily but because He loves him and wants the best for him. Again, unknown to Elihu, he was closer to the
truth of God’s love for man through Christ and the work of the cross than he
could ever imagine. Through our Lord
Jesus we are brought from being dead in our transgressions to being alive in Him. Our communion and communication with the
Father is unhindered and we can come boldly before the throne of God and
present our request in Jesus’ name and receive favor. We know God and are known by God through
Jesus and shout for joy in our salvation.
God declares us righteous in Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:21) not through
any works of our own but by the righteousness that comes through faith. We
become witnesses to His goodness and GRACE sharing the Gospel, the GOOD NEWS or
salvation with all who will hear; that while I was yet a sinner, Christ died
for me. He took the punishment for my
sin that I deserved. I did not receive
what I deserved which was death but instead was given life.
In ALL things, salvation is God’s plan for man. On this side of the cross God is NOT
punishing sin in ANYONE at ANYTIME. Sin
was punished in full at the cross. Sin
is not the issue in man’s salvation any longer.
Because of the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, the issue is
simply belief in (trust and coming under the lordship of) Jesus. Believe and receive the gift of salvation
that is accomplished for you and laid before you to take hold of. Life or death has been laid before all men
and God beckons, “Choose life”. God has
reconciled the world to Himself through Jesus Christ, the work is
finished. It is done. What a wonderful gift that has been given us
and what a beautiful Savior we Have!
.png)
Grace to you,
Pastor Tony
Freedom Church, USA
No comments:
Post a Comment