Sabbath: Out of the Whirlwind
Read for This Week’s Study: Job 38-39, John 1:29, Matt. 16:13, 1 Cor. 1:18–27, Job 40:1–4, Job 42:1–6, Luke 5:1–8.
Memory Text: “ ‘Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding’ ” (Job 38:4, NKJV).
Out of the Whirlwind
Whatever their differences, the characters in the book of Job had one thing in common: each had a lot to say about God, or at least about his understanding of God. And, as we have seen, much of what they said we could agree on. After all, who would argue with this: “ ‘But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; and the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; and the fish of the sea will explain to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this, in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?’ ” (Job 12:7–10, NKJV)? Or with this: “ ‘Does God subvert judgment? Or does the Almighty pervert justice?’ ” (Job 8:3, NKJV)?
And while the context was Job’s suffering, the main focus of discussion was God. With the exception of the first two chapters, though, the Lord remained hidden, in the background, as the book progressed.
All that, however, was about to change. God Himself—the subject of so much discussion and debate in the book of Job—will now speak for Himself.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, December 10.
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When Christ, will arrive to get us, who among us will sense our personal victory and deserving?
I think that only those who have continually accepted the Spirit of Christ as the motivation for life will know Christ when He comes. This unity with Him will be felt as a oneness with Him. He will continue to be the focus of their lives because He will be in them.
Really, our God is a God of far and near...(Jeremiah 23:23-24),nowhere we can hide.He is nearby than we can imagine,ready to give us answers to our most unanswerable questions.He appears to His most faithful ones.We see after Job kept on asking questions about his state and not getting any convincing answer, and his friends became miserable comforters and without words rather than explaining God,God Himself answered from within;a whirlwind..
God reveals Himself through nature and through us.So we can also be sure that He is within, there is no need to defend Him...
I do see what You're saying here. I am also convinced that The LORD, AS our GOD IS looking for us to defend HIM. The OT affirms HIS FAITHFUL Ones, as You said above., by allowing the reproof (so to speak) of "You know who's" false charges (as a way to try and prove Our MAKER "wrong"), to me it seemed like Our LORD GOD WAS ASKING for JOB TO DEFEND HIM, does it seem that way to You?
Because if not to show HIS CONFIDENCE IN HIS FAITHFUL ONES, as You said in Your comment, that would would make Our LORD GOD an arbitrary GOD just looking to judge, and evil one as well huh?
I don't know what You're thinking, of course, so what are Your thoughts?
I believe we all have different understanding on how we know God. Some of us are so quick to judge guilt in others just like the way is see Job's friends. At the end God himself knows who is right and wrong.
Every association we form, however limited, exerts some influence upon us for positive or negative. Judge their intent according to your relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ who is your influence.
The whirlwind of life's struggles and difficulties as experienced by Job, reminds me that God is in the midst of our storms of life, he is a present help in times of trouble.if only we would exercise faith as Job did even when no comfort or support came from those close to him.God is awesome
Our God is wonderful, playing Love in difficult times. When almost everything is stand still, in a Whirlwind He will appear. A faithful worshiper will always be answered, if not, then hope in Him itself is enough. We are not alone, the Holy Spirit is by our side.