Tuesday: Intimations of Hope
“ ‘He also shall be my salvation, for a hypocrite could not come before Him’ ” (Job 13:16, NKJV). This verse follows right after the one we read yesterday. How does it affirm even more the idea that, despite everything, Job had hope, and that his hope was in God?
What an interesting line to follow what came before. Even if Job were to die, even if God killed him, Job still trusted in his God for salvation. Though on one level it’s a strange contrast, on another it makes perfect sense. After all, what is salvation other than liberation from death? And what is death, at least for the saved, other than a quick moment of rest, an instant of sleep, followed by the resurrection to eternal life? Is not this hope of the resurrection to eternal life the great hope of all of God’s people through the millennia? This was Job’s hope, as well.
Read 1 Corinthians 15:11–20. What is the hope presented to us there? Without this hope, why would we have no hope at all?
Also, after this strong affirmation in salvation, Job says that the “hanef will not come before Him.” The root means “profane” or “godless,” a word with very negative connotations in Hebrew. Job knew that his salvation was to be found only in God, only in a life surrendered in faithful obedience to Him. That’s why the evil and godless man, the hanef, didn’t have that hope. Most likely Job was expressing what he understood as his “assurance of salvation.” Though Job faithfully offered animal sacrifices for sin, we don’t know how much he understood of their significance. Before the Cross, most faithful followers of the Lord such as Job surely didn’t have as full an understanding of salvation as we can have living after the Cross. Nevertheless, Job still knew enough to know that his hope of salvation was to be found only in the Lord and that those sacrifices were an expression of how this salvation was to be found.
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This man Job! how I wish I could emulate his perfect faith!
Fur us who believe in Jesus Chist death. Is just ar rest a short sleep
I love this man Job. He clings to his faith no matter what were the situations
Let us be faithful like the man of God Job. He only believed that its only God who will help him. He believed that their is resurrection after dead and whatever suffering he was suffering God was with him.
I cant even imagine how eternity is, feels like, but more than life's riches and fame how l wish to hold on to the hope of his coming so that l partake of his Resurrection unto eternal life. How insignificant this life under the sun is, less than a transient episode compared to eternal life to come
Can't help it, I think just an hour in the arms of Jesus will feel like eternity. For an hour with the abodes of bliss is better than decades spent in luxuries of this world.Come Lord Jesus
Here Job has laid open his true conviction about death and salvation. If most of us held the same convictions as we profess to, our prayers when staring death in the face would take a different tone. Most of us pray and fast for our loved ones and ourselves to be spared death clinging this same world which we sing that is not our home but are just passing through. When any sign of an approaching departure comes few are ready to let go of this life and move on. Look at brother Job. What do we truly believe about death? Or is it because we are not sure which way we are going?(In the resurrection)Luke 23:46
I think Job's undying trust in God, at this time in earth's history, is the epitome of the scripture, "Now faith is the substance of things hope for, and the evidence of things not seen". Hebrews 11:1.
Just as job required faith before the cross so do we require it post crucifixion
The thread of faith runs thru from Genesis to the end of time
Help us lord Jesus to keep the faith
Friends, the death of Christ is the cost of the prize. Job knew that if Christ died and rise again there is hope for him no matter what his situation, he trusted God, he believed in the death and resurrection of Christ. Job knew his only hope was in Christ Jesus the resurrection to eternal life. May God help us to have the faith of Job. I can say to you today I have a new hope in Jesus Christ. God bless you all.
Where does it say Job knew about Christ and his dying to save ?
Deanna, it doesn't say specifically in Job, however Job, along with Noah and Daniel are mentioned in Ezekiel 14:12-20.
We assume this from Job's words, "For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth" Job 19:25 Since Job likely knew of the plan of salvation through the story handed down by Adam and then Noah.
Prayerfully I have the hope of having my faith increase as that of Job's
I love the last few chapters of this book, for though we look at Job here as being so full of faith, when God finally comes to confront him, he melts into a realization of his true insignificance.
I myself have been undergoing tremendous difficulties over the last 2 months of homelessness and car repossession which has tried me to my very soul! My only hope has been that of Job's, resting on the provisions of Jesus for me, done sacrificially for me so long ago. He truly is my only help when no family, friends nor church will intervene. My prayer is that God establishes me in a secure and abundant way so that I can be His hands to help others who find themselves in similar crisis. We all should pray that God pours out abundantly thru us.
Why is it so hard for us people living today to just believe? Does the devil really exist, if Christ Jesus died and risen, which means devil does not exist. If a person just believes in Him........ how I wish that kind of hope which job and his friends Abraham, and many more...
It is interesting that you suggest that the devil does not really exist because Jesus died. I don't see it that way. My understanding is that Satan was overcome at the cross and that his fate was sealed. There is ample evidence from Scripture that Satan is active right up to the end of time. For example, Paul openly talks about Satan's activity to the Corinthian church (2 Cor 2:11, 14). John mentions Satan several times in the messages to the 7 churches (eg Rev 2: 9, 13).
While Satan is still active, we need to be on our guard and "live in Jesus" because he realizes that he has only a limited time to continue his evil work. Our part is to exercise our faith that Jesus has overcome Satan and he cannot win against Jesus. One question that needs to be addressed in a practical sense is: What does it mean to "live in Jesus"? I would like to hear some ideas from you and other respondents about that.
To live in Jesus to me that means to live like he lived, to be humble, trust, honest in his ways, to love our neighbors and family. To love God and give him honor and glory, to look to him in everything that we do, and face daily, and to let his light shine through us.
I wish I had half the faith Job had, this is like Abraham and Isaac when he was to sacrifice is only son.
God knew his servant Job and Job knew his God. Question which comes to mind is how much do we know our God and how does God know us. We cant ask how much he knows us because he fully knows us. Are we just spectators in the great war or God can count us as worriors. Romans 8:35-39, we get the question- "who shall separate us from the love of God,..........?". If on a personal level we could say that not even death can, then God would say he has a worrior like Job who did not even value his own life when it came to his savior. My prayer is we be counted in the army of God.
True Education is only that which is education of God...when we truly know what God is able to do in us and for us,we will stand firm in His promises to get us through all hardships...When in trouble of this world,let us not just sit in those situations without hope,but let us search for God and with faith that He knows how to deal with them..always asking God to just comfort us..the true character of God will always come through for us...
"After all, what is salvation other than liberation from death?"
I will mention this question in Sabbath school to see what responses come.
Here are some verses to consider.
"he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit " Tit 3:5
" She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." Matt 1:21
"Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham." Luke 19:9
"For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?" Rom 8:24