Sabbath: Intimations of Hope
Read for This Week’s Study: Prov. 17:28, Job 13:1–15, James 2:20–22, 1 Cor. 15:11–20, 1 Pet. 1:18–20, Gen. 22:8.
Memory Text: “ ‘He also shall be my salvation, for a hypocrite could not come before Him’ ” (Job 13:16, NKJV).
Job Praying
Man is the only animal,” wrote British essayist William Hazlitt, “that laughs and weeps; for he is the only animal that is struck with the difference between what things are, and what they ought to be.”
Things certainly aren’t what they ought to be. However, for a Christian who lives with the promise of the Second Coming, there is hope—a great hope of what things will become (2 Pet. 3:13). They will become something so wonderful that we, with sin-darkened minds (1 Cor. 13:12), can barely imagine it now. This is a hope that the secular mind, in all its narrowness and parochialism, has lost long ago.
This week, as we continue to explore the question of suffering in the book of Job, we will find that, even amid the unfair tragedy that befell him, that made no sense, and that was not justified, Job could still utter words of hope.
What was that hope, and what does it tell us that we can hope in, as well?
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, November 26.
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"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials,(like Job) for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. " Rom 5:3 & 4
Authentic hope is the result of character transformation after the likeness of Jesus. One can hear teachings about assurance of salvation based on what Jesus did, yet a person is hardly convinced when their conscience condemns them that they are not fit for eternal life or an environment where the beings love righteousness & hate iniquity.(Ps 45:7, Heb 1:9)
"Therefore I always exercise and discipline myself [mortifying my body, deadening my carnal affections, bodily appetites, and worldly desires, endeavoring in all respects] to have a clear (unshaken, blameless) conscience, void of offense toward God and toward men. : ACTS 24:16
Do we become perfect by achieving a determined set of goals? I think about the rich young ruler. He assured Jesus that he had done everything that was needed from when he was young. Jesus pointed out one fault that was missing. Do we stick our chest out with pride for our accomplishments?
Paul,
1. "...perfect by achieving..." Your question is about a process. Are you assuming an erroneous one? Did Paul need to be more clear in Rom 5?
2. The rich young ruler was deceived. Jer 17:9
3. Why the question about sticking out one's chest? The scriptures quoted are Paul's. Was he forgetting grace and was proud when mentioning them?
Oh, What comfort this brings to me! That life's daily challenges and disappointments serve to transcend my insularity, thereby giving me a glimpse of my Heavenly Father's purposeful preparation for me, strengthens my faith indeed.
Sun. Nov. 20
Great hope Jesus 2nd coming
God's intimacy with man is no ordinary relationship (the Devil is a loser and a liar). Out of God's bowel of intimacy Job was the symbol of our peculiarity when it comes to God having a relationship with humans (He is jealous for us). Job represented the perfect church that existed at the beginning before Satan's attack. Satan attacked that Church; Satan attacked Job and Satan attacked God's family. All attacks were made on their legal turfs (home). When Job was attacked at home, he stayed there and endured until he was restored bountifully. God's restored church in the end will here and behold the pronouncement, "these are they which came out of Great tribulation...(Rev 7:14).
Job also represented the genuine global human spiritual cry of this present era, "Lord Transform me!" All through this trauma that Job suffered there was intimacy between him and God in spite of the pain. Today, we have an example to follow.
This is what we should follow Job he resisted the Devil no matter what the Devil tried to do to him he trusted and believed in God kept him out of the Devil way and he had a renewed spirit when it came to God in spite of the pain endured. God is always there for us no matter what we are going thru we will come against things we have no control over but God will protect us we have to trust and believe in his word and have no fear.
How do we get this message through to those who have no belief in God? The godless suffer as well and all to often we leave them to their fate.
Can I suggest that a suffering atheist is probably closest to seeing God when he experiences love and support from a Christian without any "fish-hook" theological discussion - just unselfish love.
While that suffering atheist whom a Christian unselfishly loves may be close to seeing God, he may not recognize Christ in the loving Christian without a few loving words to reveal the Source of love.
Why would a creation believing Sabbath school lesson even have a quote from someone who thinks Man is an animal? God made Man not only a little lower than the angels but also in his image, I think the Hazlitt quote is irrelevant to this lesson and totally unnecessary for this point.
Thank God we are not animals and there is no comparison. Since evolution slipped in we can let the Bible remind us: So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Gen. 1:27 and just for good measure, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Psalm 8:4-5
William Hazlitt lived from 1788-1830 and while not an evolutionist in the modern sense, he rejected formal religion. He was an essayist, and well known in his time. The quote from him is true in the sense that we are animals, and that we are unique in that we show emotion. The lesson goes on to say that we are much more than that.
It is worth knowing how others think because we may have more success talking to them if we do. I am an academic and have had to associate with my share of skeptics and critics in my career. It is fair to say that the only way I can communicate with them is to respect them, even when we disagree. They in turn respect what I believe. In an atmosphere of mutual respect we can have interesting and informative discussion.
Atheists have as much difficulty with pain and suffering as we do, particularly when they are suffering themselves. Having mutual respect for one another provides the opportunity for sharing and support in their time of need as well. The part of the Gospel that talks about visiting the sick and needy is well understood by atheists.
Maurice while I disagree with any sense that mankind is an animal, I understand why you would say that because I too work in an academic environment where many Christians have a Christianity that is mingled with secularism. Without God's word as the only guidebook for Christian living, thinking and especially behaving towards each other it's easy to be seduced into certain conformist views, especially in the world's "intellectual" bastions of higher education. I fear by accepting Darwinian definitions of who we are mankind has become more animalistic in lower behavior. As scripture says by beholding we have become changed outside God's idea of whom he has created.
However, I agree that Atheist have a lot harder time dealing with pain and suffering mainly because they have no point of reference or foundation of understanding about the source behind pain, suffering and destruction. Yes Christians of all people should be sources of love and understanding but yet live disciplined Christian lives proving that Christ is within and shines without compromise. That's where we let the Spirit of God guide us in dealing with one another. Our relationship with God is our strength in handling people of different beliefs or even difficult people; we can't do any this properly without the Holy Spirit. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Romans 8:14
I quite agree Maurice. There was a man by the name of Desmond Doss, who lived his faith. He was ridiculed for being different. You have to be in the military to understand how difficult it is to remain true to your convictions. He prayed continuously and was able to help save many soldiers, some of the very ones who belittled him. He did not have to preach to them. His life and actions did the preaching. If we, as followers of Christ, live our beliefs, I believe we could influence others.
Maurice, when the un church person asks why am I suffering? I am a good person.We can answer in a Biblical presentation based on our doctrinal belief.We can start off by saying that we are living in a tainted world and so on..... but that is not what the person wants to hear.The suffering atheist is accepting of all the love & compassion that can be offered by the christian but until he believes that their is a God who cares for him he cannot suddenly become close to God without surrender to him. We cannot bypass Jesus to get to the Kingdom. We as Christians should not compromise our belief in God in order to please Satan's deceit on mankind.
I understand where you are coming from Audrey but that is not the point that I am making. When an atheist is suffering, they do not want or need an explanation. They need the empathy of someone who feels their pain with them. That is where we start - no fish-hooks about believing this or that - simple unselfish love, giving of yourself to fulfill their need. That is what Jesus did for us.
People are drawn to Jesus by our actions; not pushed.
Thinking of "drawn to Jesus..., not pushed", we can draw to Jesus only if we ourselves are closer to Him than the one we wish to draw. We can push only if we are farther away from Jesus. May God help us all to be so close to Him that we can only draw.
Amen, Alisha Crawford!
Maurice , I appreciate your comments, we have both made valid points.Cultural speech can always be misunderstood. You made your point very clearly in your last comment. This is why this blog can be a learning tool. God bless.
The Bible itself has reference to us humans as also being beasts (animals,) Ecclesiastes 3:18,19. So I have absolutely no problems with what this lesson has done with quoting William Hazlitt in this regard and for this lesson.
I have only one problem with James 2:20-22: Where it essentially says in verse 21 that Abraham was "justified by works" when he offered up Isaac. I feel that To me, this statement of James contradicts the statement of the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 2:8,9 Paul says that we are saved "by grace through faith and not by works lest any man should boast." Abraham was justified by his faith and not by his works at all. It was his faith that led him to obey God to take up Isaac and offer him for a sacrifice and not the other way around. It was Abraham's faith in God's Promise that God would provide "The Lamb," (in His Son Jesus,) that justified Abraham---Absolutley not the fact that Abraham was producing works as well. Yes, works are required in the process of our faith but it is not the works that justify at all---ever. If they did, then as Paul indicates, we would be able to boast about our works in the process of our salvation.
The works are the evidence of a relationship with Christ - when you receive God and understand what His sacrifice is, then you cannot help but do the works as well - for it is like a blossoming relationship between husband and wife, where they just cannot help but do for each other all that brings joy and a closer relationship with one another. That's how it is with works, they stem from that love relationship 🙂
Annette said it well. If you read the context in James, it seems he is having to deal with what we nowadays call "cheap grace" - i.e. words without accompanying behavior. Notice that he writes, "Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds." (James 2:18 NIV) James is right: Faith will produce works, and if works are not evident, it demonstrates tha faith is missing.
The word "justify" can mean, as in Romans 3:28, "to make right". Or it can mean, as in "to demonstrate that one is right", as in 1 Timothy 3:16. While Paul often uses it in the first sense, James uses it in the latter sense. Our works demonstrate the rightness of our faith (James 2:18).
Many ecclesiastical Christians hold to the "once saved always saved" position. Evidently, God does not. We believe in eternal security, that we hold our faith is not of ourselves (Gal 2:16). Our works prove we remain in that faith. God knows our hearts, but angels and men do not, so our works are evidence to sentient beings the universe over. James makes the point that we should remain involved in that faith, not that works can save us without faith. This is a tough text
The reality in life teaches us that its normal and obvious thing for a person to cry, but even if tears may fall and draw lines on our faces, such tears will eventually dry off and lines would disappear when we clean our face. Such is a typical example of a Christian sufferings. We can go through troubles in life, but such troubles may only be for a short while, if we give our lives to Christ. The same happened with Job, the dark cloud was all over him and with his faith in God, his happy life was restored whilst his relationship with God was prolonged with even increases trust. This I see a lesson in us today, we may cry, we may weep, but let us remember to call God's name when we scream, because through that, salvation is found.
The Bible tells us that faith without work is dead. How can we exercise our faith if we are not working? Abraham was justified by his work because he put his faith into action.