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Featured Job an example of great suffering:

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Matt22:37-39, May 22, 2013.

  1. Matt22:37-39

    Matt22:37-39 New Member

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    JOB AN EXAMPLE OF GREAT SUFFERING: Obviously I can’t help but think of this great saint and how out of all the saints in the bible he is the one who is mentioned the most when others try and “comfort” us. Maybe a tie breaker would include Jesus Himself for all the SUFFERINGS of the world He took upon Himself on the cross and how His father turned away from Him for 3 full days and 3 full nights. Anyway, I find that it is often these two who people are so quick to point you to and say, “see what they went through surely if they can persevere so can you”…My first reaction is “hey I’m not God nor am I a man”…..and ”I’m pretty sure neither Job nor Jesus suffered abuse as a child at the hands of those who were supposes to care for them. Those who were supposed to nurture them and protect them, to guide them unto the ways of the LORD.”…hopefully producing healthy adults….that is what often comes to my mind when these examples are given to me.

    When you think about it, we will never know of the upbringing of many of the saints good or bad. So be careful when giving them quickly as examples to live up to. But we do know that God has our BEST in mind, no matter what our upbringing….He wants to use us and by using us we glorify Him. That’s is why we are here in the first place, to glorify God….how God determines that is His business….and one I must submit to. This TRUTH can be a hard pill to swallow if one has had an upbringing contrary to God’s best. One filled with abuse of all kinds, by authority figures who were suppose to represent God…God who is our FATHER, who is our PROVIDER, who is our NURTURER/MOTHER, who is our PROTECTOR, who is our best FRIEND, who is all the things that He wishes His human creation to imitate for we were created in His image.

    Like I said I’m not God, therefore while being Christ like is all of our goal and while Job and other great saints in the bible lived lives of great faith and it still is FAITH in our creator that sustain us. How does one go about ministering to the hurting one who is suffering, how does one live by faith and not by sight? As far as we know Job, Jesus (who had no sin) and maybe Joseph son of Jacob were the few considered righteous or blameless in their reaction to injustice, pain and suffering….I would never consider myself in their league, for I can be found weak in the areas of my temper and pleasures of the flesh and I want to give up too easily sometimes….yet I often wonder how would Job’s or Joseph’s outlook be or reaction be if they never felt all the “Loving Characteristics” I mentioned attributed to God by those who raised them? I can’t help but think they had pretty normal lives, normal to their surroundings at the time. Joseph was at least his fathers favorite....They had families that loved them and were raised in a safe environment. They weren’t the Jessica Dugards of the world, or those 3 young girls found recently after ten years of captivity. Unless stated otherwise why should we think they were?....God has chosen not to reveal such things.

    What He has revealed is His sovereignty in all things…That He will “work out the GOOD” as we draw close to Him and trust Him no matter what. He made us, He knows us, He loves us, He has a plan for us, He has a future for us. He wants to work in and through us, to glorify Him as imperfect as we are. Unlike Job, for this was not revealed to him, I know that the real battle is not of flesh and blood but of the powers that be….Like Job Satan was allowed to only go so far, and that was it…Satan is still UNDER GOD’S AUTHORITY and so am I. It is in knowing this that brings comfort. God will not allow us to be tempted more than we are able to handle…He will provide a way of escape if we so choose to take it. He will forgive us if we repent and ask for forgiveness, He will give us the ability to forgive others, when we don’t have it within ourselves. He will forgive us for blaming Him for all our woes and for shaking our fist at Him. Did God not have patience with all the saints and their fumbling and crumbling as long as they earnestly sought Him? And even when they didn’t, He didn’t force them to His will, but let them do as they pleased knowing that if they had only put Him first how better things would be….this is when FRUITFULNESS can take place and we can be truly blessed. I know easier said than done.

    Before we hold others to such a high standard of those saints who have gone before us, let’s not be so haste to disregard where they are coming from, but HELP THEM GENTLY BACK ON THE ROAD TO WHERE GOD WANTS THEM TO BE….one of FAITH!

    “For By The Grace Of God There Go I”
     
  2. righteousdude2

    righteousdude2 Well-Known Member
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    He was....

    ....an example of how we all should face the life, trials, temptations and ups and down of life.

    I always think to myself, if Job could remain faithful, why can't I?

    In life, I have numerous chronic diseases; some have left my body in tremendous pain, 24/7. Relief is hard to obtain, even with prayer, and medications. In my fight to gain an upper hand with the pain and suffering, I've been a regular at my HMO's Pain Management Group.

    One thing that always humbled me about these weekly groups was that no matter how bad I felt, or how raw a deal I thought I had been dealt in life, there'd be someone else in that group that had it worse than me. I could always count on being humbled at these groups, and that was something of a blessing, as I'd leave knowing that as bad as I had it, someone else was far worse than me, thus I had little to complain about...and a lot to pray about regarding the other person and their needs!

    I am forever thankful for my thorns, because like Paul, I prayed for them to be taken away, but God saw a reason to leave them in place, and instead, gave me the strength to continue to minister and move forward regardless of the thorns. The thorns have served as a humble reminder of my need for God, and His strength within to turn my disabilities in to supernatural abilities.

    That is why God is awesome, and I am, well, I am merely one of His many children! :applause:
     
    #2 righteousdude2, May 22, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: May 22, 2013
  3. Don

    Don Well-Known Member
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    For the record: it's not uncommon in the middle east for employers to beat their employees; and these are grown men, today, in this day and age. Children experience what we westerners would easily label as physical child abuse. How much more so thousands of years ago?

    Job's suffering was unlike any I've experienced; your suffering is unlike any I've experienced. But who's to say my suffering is unlike any you or anyone else has experienced. The lesson of Job isn't "my suffering is worse than yours"; the lesson of Job is that we can experience great suffering, and have all those around us accuse of great sin even though we're not guilty; even have our own spouses encourage us to curse God for our suffering and misfortune ... but will you?
     
  4. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    Jesus suffered the penalty that we ALL deserve to, he took upon himself the sin debt obligation of sinners just like all of us here, HOW much suffering would that entail?
     
  5. Matt22:37-39

    Matt22:37-39 New Member

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    Thanks for sharing...I agree I feel the same way...:)
     
  6. righteousdude2

    righteousdude2 Well-Known Member
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    Well....

    ....the truth is God has shown me that He is greater than my worst physical problem. And with that in mind, I know with His help I can go around, through or over the mountain in front of me.

    Shalom, my sister!
     
  7. Matt22:37-39

    Matt22:37-39 New Member

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    The greatest gift of all is ETERNAL life for only few are chosen....and to think I WAS CHOSEN is so humbling:)
     
  8. awaken

    awaken Active Member

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    The story of Job always bothered me when studing healing throughout the Bible. After I learned to understand the book of Job in the context of a covenant was I able to better understand...

    Many theologians believe that Job lived many years before Abraham was born. The book of Job is considered the oldest in the Bible. Job's life predates the Abrahamic blood covenant that was the first and only known covenant of its kind on earth. THe only way to enter into the Abraham covenant was to be a member of Abraham's family. I do not see any evidence that Job and Abraham were related. Job describes the life of a holy man OUTSIDE of a blood covenant with God! Job had no covenant commitment from God-no covenant promises to put faith in...no covenant benefits...and no covenant union with God on which to depend. Yet today Abraham and NT Christians today possess these things.

    Again Job is how God relates with a man outside of a covenant made with blood. I believe that is the reason Job is in the Bible..to illustrate this point!

    Job is a picture of how God deals with humanity without the intervening power of a blood covenant.

    No wonder so many have a warped conception of who God is?
     
  9. Don

    Don Well-Known Member
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    What do you mean "without a blood covenant"?

    And what's this "warped concept"?
     
  10. awaken

    awaken Active Member

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    Do you believe our God is a covenant God?
    2 Chronicles 6:14;Nehemiah 9:32; Is. 55:1-3; Ez. 34:25-26; Jeremiah 31:31-33; Heb. 8:6-7; 10:26-29; 13:20-21; Luke 22:20 are just a few scriptures that describe the covenant relationship we have with God!
     
  11. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    Do you believe that it was the Will of God to have Job tested/tried by His trial?

    satan ONLY did what God permitted and allowed Him to do, right?
     
  12. awaken

    awaken Active Member

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    If you are asking if God is always in control I would say, yes! But what most miss is that even though Job was not under a covenant with God..he was still healed!
     
  13. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    Think she means that under th new Covenat, under the "blood of jesus", Job would have had health and wealth, NOT trials and sufferings!

    basically, another way to bring in the faith teaching on blessings!
     
  14. awaken

    awaken Active Member

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    I have never said we will not go through trials or suffering!
    But again...Job without the covenant...was healed and was granted his wealth back! He got double what he lost, right?
     
  15. Matt22:37-39

    Matt22:37-39 New Member

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    That is what I was wondering?
     
  16. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    Job was called a rightous man, so wasn't he under a Covenant with God?

    Would say that Job lost a lot, wouldn't you?

    just beacause you are underthe new covenant does NOT mean cannot face illness, suffering, trials etc, does it?
     
  17. awaken

    awaken Active Member

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    Again, I have never said anything about not suffering! I just pointed out that Job was healed and given back double what he lost, correct?
     
  18. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    he was, but asre you saying that always happens to us today?
     
  19. awaken

    awaken Active Member

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    Yeshua1...my mother died with cancer! How am I saying it always happens today?
     
  20. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    Sorry to hear about that!

    I don't mean to sound crass here, but where were the gifted healers to have her raised up and healed?
     
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