Sunday: A Little Heaven on Earth
The book of Job begins on a relatively positive note. From a worldly perspective at least, we see a man blessed in every way.
Read Job 1:1-4. What do the texts reveal about the kind of life that Job lived? What were the positive aspects of Job’s existence?
Image @ John Baker from Goodsalt.com
Job certainly seems to have it all, including a righteous character. The word translated in Job 1:1 as “blameless” (NIV) comes from a word that can mean “complete” or “full of integrity.” The word for “upright” means “straight,” which can give the idea of walking on a straight path. In short, the book opens with an almost Eden-like scene depicting a wealthy man of faithfulness and integrity who has it all.
Nevertheless, he has it all in a fallen world.
Read Job 1:5-6. What do these texts reveal about the reality of the fallen world that Job inhabits?
“Amid the festivities of his sons and daughters, he trembled lest his children should displease God. As a faithful priest of the household, he offered sacrifices for them individually. He knew the offensive character of sin, and the thought that his children might forget the divine claims, led him to God as an intercessor in their behalf.”-Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 3, p. 1140.
Clearly Job had it good, about as good as it can get here. As Eden-like as the scene is presented-a man with a full life, big family, a great name, and many possessions-it’s still a life lived on a fallen planet steeped in sin, and so, as Job will soon see, it comes with all the dangers that existence here brings.
What are the good things in your life right now? How can you learn to be always in an attitude of thankfulness for them?
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Do we petition to God for our family daily? Yes, even if they are in the fold.
In my opinion, if we turn to God on a continous basis with a contrite heart, repentance, confession, forgiveness, consecration, and honor for our God; love, thankfulness, gratitude, hope, and charity flows out from us. The preceeding miracle is called conversion. Conversion makes it possible to be like Jesus all day long, a thankful attitude. The gentleman in the picture above looks like he has what is told of Job. Job 1:1.
We need to be thankful of everything that God gives us.
Much as God could have dealt with Job on individual basis,we see Him focusing attention to Job's family.In the context of the great controversy, our families are not left out either. Like Job's family, Satan knows pretty well that the basis of Christian worship and faith is the family. God has always wanted to meet us in family units to instil in us a discipline and integrity to worship Him in spirit and truth and offer continual supplication as Job did to his children. A family that prays together stays together and will stand the storms. Let's make our families a little heaven of a bigger heaven to come.
The mere fact that I am alive , gives me hope to be thankful to God .
The best thing in my life is the knowledge of Christ, because I know everything I have it can perish, I can still be happy thru faith in my savior. Bless be the name of God forever more.
Esther
When things are going good with us (family, job, etc)we need to remember that God is who grant us the blessings. We must always be humble and grateful for what God had blessed us with. Let's keep our families and loved one uplifted.
The family is a powerful mission station!
Job's experience reminds us parents of our God given role in presenting ourselves and our offsprings to God daily. Allowing His word to set an edge around us and to help us live in the awareness of Christ abiding presence. Drawing from Christ that overcoming power to be victorious over our weaknesses, and to introduce others to Christ our source of strength!!
It sounds like a set up of a good game of chess. And the two strategists are prepared to make their moves on that part of the great controversy.
From lesson
"Job certainly seems to have it all, including a righteous character."
Did he?
"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:" Rom 3:10
"God looks down from heaven on the children of man
to see if there are any who understand,who seek after God.
They have all fallen away;together they have become corrupt;
there is none who does good,not even one" Ps 53:2-3
Was Job better than any other person on Earth?
That's a good question
Read Heb 11:4 to see what righteousness means.
When we say none is righteous we only acknowledge one half of the story of redemption.
The other half is the strength of the Gospel.
GOD testified of Job's character and GOD does not lie.
Job was born in sin and was surrounded by all kind of iniquity, but he purposed in his thought that would only seek the goodness of GOD for guidance just as Enoch,Joseph and Daniel and many others who humbled themselves and seeked the face of GOD.
'There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.' Job 1:1 KJV
As I continue to study the life of Job, I am reminded that living for Christ daily is very possible and very important despite the snares that the evil one throws our way. It is also important to continue lifting up our families in prayer so that their lives will be blessed and their hearts will be touched daily by our Father's love and compassion.
The Bible introduces Job as a good, devout and an honest man. He loved God with all his heart and eschewed evil. He was abundantly blessed by God Almighty. The "five hundred yoke of oxen" he had indicate that he probably tilled the soil. We do nit know whether his kids assisted him in the field or not. His seven sons used to hold parties in their houses and would invite their sisters where they'd eat and drink together. As a concerned and interested parent, he kept a close eye on his children. When the parties were over, Job would sanctify his family by offering up expiatory burnt offerings (Leviticus 1:4) most probably early in the morning (Genesis 22:3; Jeremiah 7:13; Leviticus 6:12). He did this because he was worried that the children might have sinned. Later, Job agreed with Bildad when he said they committed evil deeds (Job 8:4; 9:2). The burnt offering was offered by each father of a family officiating as priest on behalf of his household. We too, ought to continually bring our children to Christ like Job did. It's extremely important to labour in this ital, righteous activity and teach our children to walk with God.
Well said Bhele we should truly be more concerned with our kids' behaviour!
This lesson demonstrates what it means to be a "blameless man". Here we have Job,living a life that many people would envy, yet he did not get distracted by his blessings, he understood his blessings came from God. He also knew that the things his family did could affect him in terms of offending God. Many times we do right by God, so we think we are good, but we don't bother with our family, this is not good enough. Here we see Job taking time out to intercede for his family. You see Job knows that his family is important to God too.
I have been given a lot of blessings from God. I'm not rich like Job, but I'm thankful every day that I don't have to work a corporate job anymore(I was on the verge of having a heart attack from working in that environment), because God give me a hubby that have a good job and a good financial head on his shoulders(I prayed for this kind of man before I got married. It is not easy for him to work in this crazy corporate environment either; please pray for him). Now I do have a job, but not one that will kill me.
Also, I'm always praying for my family in general, but I also pray for friends and family as the Holy Spirit brings them to my memory, because it is in those times that they may need our prayer support the most. I'm reminded of a time many years ago (about 14 years ago), when I prayed for one of my nieces; her name just came to my mind for no reason at all, because I haven't spoken to her in months. I prayed for her that night, and the very next day I received a call from my sister that my niece's baby was born healthy that previous night, but that it was a emergency or problematic birth. So, now that is why I pray for any and every one that comes to my mind, because you never what situation they are in where they may need God's help. Our intercessory prayers are still important today, as they were in Job's time.
We have a lot to thankful for, we are dependent on God for our entire life despite of what we go through.
. As a faithful priest of the household, he offered sacrifices for them individually.Indeed man is the priest of the family.If the family is spiritually low,its because the father is not playing his priestly duties
The great controversy is being played out to multiple universes to stop the infection of sin on this isolated planet. We are a deadly virus that SATAN has unleashed. We who understand this MUST believe in our Fathers plan and trust him at all cost.