Occasionally I hear people ask why God used Job for a guinea pig. Why did God allow Job to be tortured just for the sake of making a point to Satan? Was Job just a pawn in God and Stan’s chess game? At first glance it may appear so, but let’s look a little closer. … [Click to read more …]
You can view an in-depth discussion of “The End” in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris. (Adobe Flash Player version.) A Youtube version of this week’s lesson at Hope Sabbath School is below. You can download the video, the MP3 audio, and the lesson outline from the HopeTV Sabbath School Site. … [Click to read more …]
For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the … [Click to read more …]
The recent events taking place across the US have been both heart breaking and mind boggling. As a millennial Adventist I can remember a time when I quite comfortably praised the decline of racial tension and looked happily into a future in which such things would be relegated to the basement of civilization. Progress was … [Click to read more …]
What is the book of Job? (Lesson for October 1, 2016)The book of Job is written as poetry, loaded with symbolism and parallel structure. The book is carefully constructed, as if it is intended for memorizing and even public presentation. Far greater than that, however, is the message of Job. What does Job have to say … [Click to read more …]
Key Thought: The gospel calls us to demonstrate God’s love for the world in practical ways. Lesson for October 1, 2016 1. Have a volunteer read Job 42:10-17. a. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is. b. Why did Job’s captivity turn “when” he prayed … [Click to read more …]
Read Job 14:14-15. What question is Job asking, and how, in his own way, does he answer it? One of the themes in the book of Job deals with the question of death. How could it not? Any book that looks at human suffering would, of course, have to look at death, the source of … [Click to read more …]
Among other things, the Bible is a book about history. But it is not just a history book. It tells about events in the past, historical events, and uses them (among other things) to give us spiritual lessons. It uses events in the past to teach us truths about how we are to live in … [Click to read more …]
Yes, the story of Job ended on a positive note, in contrast to the story of other Bible characters and often of other people in general. Bible scholars sometimes talk about the “restoration” of Job. And indeed, to some degree, many things were restored to him. But if that were the complete end of the … [Click to read more …]
The book of Job concluded with things going well for Job, who died “old and full of days.” As we all know, and know all too well, that’s not how the story ends for so many others. Even those who were faithful and honorable and virtuous didn’t always wind up in a situation such as … [Click to read more …]
Oftentimes children’s stories end with the line, “And they lived happily ever after.” In some languages, it’s almost a cliché. The whole idea is that whatever the drama-a kidnapped princess, a nasty wolf, an evil king-the hero and perhaps his new wife triumph in the end. That’s how the book of Job ends, at least … [Click to read more …]
The Perennial Question Despite all the popular propaganda to the contrary, Christians have very logical and rational reasons to believe in God. Though assured by some of the “best and brightest” that the evolutionary concepts of “natural selection” and “random mutation” can explain the complexity, wonder, and beauty of life, many people don’t buy it … [Click to read more …]
