In chapter 1 of Job, he is spoken of, (by God), to be "perfect & upright, one that feared God, and eschewed evil." And our LORD Jesus Christ in 1 John is spoken of as one who 'has no sin'.
Our LORD Jesus was tempted by satan in the wilderness for 40 days. Satan attempts to get Job to renounce his God. For our LORD Jesus the angels came and ministered to him......God himself came to rescue Job. Satan was defeated in both instances.
In Philippians, chapter 2, it talks about the humiliation of our LORD Jesus. In going through the book of Job I have often thought about how humiliated and down trodden Job must have felt. Even his wife advised him to "curse your God and die." But Job rose above it all even as our LORD Jesus went to the depths of woe and then was elevated to the heights of glory.
Job lost his children and he talks of his relatives and friends forgetting him....not wanting to have anything to do with him. In John 26:56 we see "all the disciples forsook him, (Jesus) and fled".
Job's physical sufferings were tremendous. Even so.....they can only 'remind' me of what the LORD Jesus went thru for me....His sufferings are unlike anything we could attribute to any of man's sufferings.... My heart was so heavy in pondering all of Job's sufferings..... and then I turn to the Savior..... and my heart wells up in worship to the One who would do such a thing for me.
Job actually thought that God had forsaken him. His "friends" (if you can really call them that!) rebuked him for his attitude. But we know the LORD Jesus cried out "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" And for my sin.....He who knew no sin was forsaken of His Father. Job could not die.....as this was God's protection on him, but he desired to die.
AND NOW.....the later end of our LORD Jesus Christ is that He is exalted above all! Seated at the right hand of His (and my) Father. Having accomplished the plan, the work is finished! Job was restored not to his former prosperity but it says, "the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning." Job 42:12.
This has encouraged my heart. I know my Savior's righteousness was far more perfect than Job's, I know His humiliation was far greater, His conflict with satan was far more intense, His sufferings far more severe, and His exaltation very much greater. But how thrilling to see that way back (somewhere between Genesis 11 and 12) the life of an ordinary man named Job would point us to a coming Savior. And more, that I, in 2009 would look back and rejoice in how the book of Job makes me love my Savior more and more.
As I think of this....I think of a song that I have come to love by the Gettys
To see and hear their other music you can go here
(They have a REALLY good kids cd too that teaches Scripture!)
The Power of the Cross
Words & Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Oh, to see the dawn
Of the darkest day:
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men,
Torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood.
Chorus:
This, the pow’r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
Took the blame, bore the wrath—
We stand forgiven at the cross.
Oh, to see the pain
Written on Your face,
Bearing the awesome weight of sin.
Ev’ry bitter thought,
Ev’ry evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow.
Now the daylight flees;
Now the ground beneath
Quakes as its Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two,
Dead are raised to life;
“Finished!” the vict’ry cry.
Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death;
Life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love.
Final Chorus:
This, the pow’r of the cross:
Son of God—slain for us.
What a love! What a cost!
We stand forgiven at the cross.
