Sunday: “I Shall See God”
Read Job 19:25-27 and compare it with John 1:18 and 1 Timothy 6:16. When and under what circumstances was he expecting to “see God”?
Life is not fair. We see this especially when we see the “good” suffering and the “unrighteous” prospering (see Psalm 73:12-17, Malachi 3:14-18). For example, Job was “blameless and upright” and “feared God and shunned evil” (Job 1:1, NKJV).
Image © Jim Howard at Goodsalt.com
Even so, God allowed Satan to afflict him in several disastrous ways. Physically, his body was ravaged by painful disease (Job 2:1-8). Materially, he lost large portions of his livestock and properties (Job 1:13-17). Within his household, he lost his servants and even his own children (Job 1:16, Job 1:18). And emotionally, he was surrounded by friends who accused him of being an impenitent sinner who deserved what he was facing (Job 4:1-5:27, Job 8:1-22, Job 11:1-20, etc.). Even his own wife stated, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9, NKJV).
Job did not realize that he had become the epicenter of a deep cosmic struggle between God and Satan. Afflicted by those struggles, Job regretted his own birth and wished that he had never been born (Job 3:1-26). Yet, his unconditional faithfulness to God is well expressed in the words, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15, NKJV). Even imagining that soon his life would end, he kept his assurance that death would not have the final word. With strong conviction he stated that although he would die, his Redeemer would one day stand up and he, Job himself, would see God in his own flesh (Job 19:25-27). “This is an unmistakable glimpse of the resurrection.” — The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 3, p. 549.
What a glorious hope in the midst of such a tragedy! Surrounded by sickness and pain, economic collapse, social reproach, and emotional breakdown, Job could still anticipate the day when he would rise from the dead and behold his beloved Redeemer. Actually, Job’s statement about the resurrection was filled with the same assurance that centuries later Martha uttered to Jesus: “I know that he [Lazarus] will rise again in the resurrection at the last day” (John 11:24, NKJV). Job, like Martha, had to claim this promise by faith, even though, unlike Job, Martha would soon be given powerful empirical evidence for her belief.
| How can we learn to trust God even amid the harsh unfairness of life? |
(26)
No one likes suffering,but we always suffer under the sun!
Amid all pain,troubles we should always learn to trust our God.
Jesus talked about “seeing God” (Matthew 5:8). What does it mean to be “pure in heart”?
I’m humming the words of the hymn “Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley”…. …He had to walk it by Himself, oh nobody else could walk it for Him, He had to walk it by Himself …I must go and stand my trial, I have to stand it by myself, oh nobody else could walk it for me“…
Living with my 86-year-old Mum I’m watching her fade. To bed earlier and earlier, more naps, unable to participate in her kids’ loud, fast-moving conversations, confused about many details….we are ever with her and yet this is a final path she has to walk by herself. Does she feel isolated, much as Job must have felt, having a solitary experience among his family and friends?
As I , too, am aging, I’m learning to economize my time; there’s not enough energy and hours for huge outswings and multiple focus points. It’s a fall/winter of life for inswings. Deeper, more tender, inner conversations with my Creator. I feel like David in Psalm 27:4 (some Bible scholars have suggested this psalm was written during the rebellion of Absalom - a time of loss and grief for David). To gaze on the beauty of Jesus with a pure focus is such a gift of joy! It encompasses all the adventures and beauties and loves I’ve known, and then adds on.
Who is my God? Can I see Him right now in this situation? His mix of truth thickly coated in mercy? Do I have faith in Him against everything of the world that contradicts him? Will I remain true to God‘s character whatever He may do or allow? Will each trial of faith further “clear” God’s character in my own mind? Will God’s character shine out for me through this activity? Though I walk through personal valleys of losses and deaths….even at my own end of breath and life as I know it …. yet will I trust Him?
The story of Job always gives me comfort because I have learned who is the ultimate author of destruction. It also gives a powerful insight to the great cosmic battle and the purpose behind allowing evil to exist. Reading the conflict of the ages series (Patriarchs and prophets, Prophets and kings, Desire of Ages, Acts of the Apostles, and the Great Controversy by Ellen White) along with the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is the best way to truly understand all of the benefits that come from God allowing Satan to do all of the horrible things he has done. God bless you all!
To be in such a fragile condition as Job was, and still be able to trust God is a MUST-learn lesson for every Christian. This is the level of trust that you don't simply develop from night to day... The impressive part about Job's life was that he was faithful through sufferings even having just had such a blessed life before, which means that he was not grounded in material or emotional (sons and daughters) things, he was grounded in God alone! That's IT. Thus, the answer to the question "How can we learn to trust God even amid the harsh unfairness of life?" is to develop a RELATIONSHIP with Him. Once we truly get to know Him, we'll probably not doubt, because God is LOVE.
If a person (or a church) does not realize that they are in a war zone, then they are like a solder wandering in a field of flowers that is full of landmines, with no clue of his danger. The Adversary gives no quarter because his sole objective is to kill, steal and destroy. But he does not appear as some laughable caricature with horns, dressed in a red suit and a pitchfork or as a dark foreboding stranger with bat wings. Instead, clothed in the garb of an “enlightened” friend, his sales pitch is one of “concern” for our wellbeing expressed through “alternate facts,” that is, the misrepresentation of the truth about Love, the true character of God.
This is why in the chaos of his war experience, Job had it right—a laser focus on the One who is mighty to save, even if (or when) we die on the battlefield. His heart’s cry is “If only my words were written in a book— better yet, chiseled in stone! Still, I know that God lives—the One who gives me back my life— and eventually he’ll take his stand on earth. And I’ll see him—even though I get skinned alive!— see God myself, with my very own eyes. Oh, how I long for that day!” (Job 19:23-26 MSG.) Job knew his Saviour and his love, and that was his salvation.
The first sentence, "Life is not fair," found in the commentary on Sunday's lesson needs to be addressed. This statement comes from the wrong perspective.
In Job 2:6 we read, "And the LORD said to Satan, 'Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life.'" NKJV
It was in fact the Son of God that allowed Job to suffer, for we read in John 5:22, "For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgement to the Son." NKJV, and continuing the theme of divinity, "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." Mark 1:1 It is Jesus who allowed Job to go through this trial.
As to fairness, let us look at the "unfairness" of Jesus, the Son of God, leaving John the Baptist in prison. Matthew 14:10-12
If we stumble on this point, then where can we find the mental fortitude to endure the passage "from prison to death," or "to drink the cup of martyrdom," to "languish in lonely cells," or perish by the sword, the rack, or the fagot, apparently forsaken by God and man?"
Desire of Ages pg.200
Let us always remember that our lives are hid in Christ, Colossians 3:3, and that He sees the end from the beginning.
Just learnt that the 'earth'in Job 19:25, is âphâr in Hebrew, which is dust (same word used in Creation on God's creating us from dust, and not erets for the planet Earth, in general, like in Genesis 1:1. So, basically, Job is saying, I know my Redeemer (gâ'al - ie kinsman redeemer, as Boaz was to Ruth), shall stand over this dust which He moulded into me, at the end. How powerful!
Satan and sin have made life unfair to us humans. Sin with its suffering, discord, evil, abominations, and death was never in the heart of God for man. Also, God understands fully that life would be unfair to us. We see this played out in the lives of Cain, Job, Joseph, David, etc. All this is part of the great controversy and we must understand that God's plans for us are not thwarted by life's unfairness. Although our immediate circumstances may seem to be quite unfair, ultimately, when we place our trust in Him, His plan for us will prevail.
We have to learn to trust God despite the harsh unfairness of life. Three things come to mind from my perspective: (1) rain or shine, God is in control, (2) we grow from our own crucible experiences, and (3) the results of sin. Perspective (1), In Psalm 73:12–17, we read the unfairness of life of how ungodly people (full of riches) prosper in this world without the fear of God in them. Until we read verse 17 where it mentions the final outcome to those who don’t fear the Lord. Fearing God means giving Him the utmost respect and full reverence of His majestic holiness. When we go through the good and bad (rain or shine) in this lifetime does not excuse us from disrespecting God’s name and character. As practicing Christians, carrying the Lord’s name on our shoulder shouldn’t be a burden (Exodus 20:7), but a respectful responsibility we hold as his obedient children. Think about it, the sacrifice of Christ carrying our sinful names on his shoulder is a dreary burden and great responsibility on his part. So, it is a two-way commitment out of great respect for each other. Rain or shine, a child will have to honor and fear their parents out of respect, and it is the same way with God. When it seems like life is unfair, remember, God is in control. And, when we know God is in control lessens our anxiety, depression, and worriesomes. Perspective (2) gives us an opportunity to humble ourselves before God. When we go through our crucible experiences in life strengthens our walk and relationship with God. How so? The results from these crucible experiences makes us realize our selfish nature, covetous motives, and prideful attitude (1 John 2:16). When experiencing these trials in life through the lens of a christian follower purges out the human error in us into God’s Image and Character. For we are the light of the world, therefore we are reflecting God’s light onto others. Perspective (3) deepens our understanding of the unfairness of life because of the results of sin. Death is the result of sin and was never in God’s original plan. When sin entered the world it disrupted the purpose of life by reversing creation itself. To create means giving life and sin is the opposite of creating (death). The natural world/environment is dying off, the animal kingdom is eating other living fleshly lifeforms for survival, and the human lifespan is shortening from nearly 1,000 year of life to today’s 70 years to live on earth (Psalm 90:10). Eventually, earth will destroy itself and that is why perspective (1) is important to know that God is in control. The result of sin makes life unfair. This is why we have wars, natural disasters, deadly diseases, broken relationships, evil men prospering, and finally, death itself. This is the whole purpose of studying the bible and participating in Sabbath School class to understand the loving nature and justice of God, and importantly, the meaning of life.