Victory in Afflictions

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: LESSONS FROM THE LIFE OF JOB

By Ezekiel Kimosop

The Bible says in Job 42:12-13, "Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters" (NKJV)

QUESTION TO PONDER

What do we learn from this Scripture passage?

Back in Job 1-2, we are introduced to the gruesome afflictions of Job, a faithful servant of God. He lost all his children and his wealth. Worse even, his body was afflicted with leprosy, forcing him to withdraw into isolation for the period of illness. 

Job's family and friends offered no solace to him...His wife asked him to curse God and die (Job 2:9) and his closest friends accused him of sinning against God (Job 4).

The Bible reveals that God permitted this suffering upon Job for His divine glory. In the end, God restored the life of Job and blessed him immensely. His wealth was doubled and he was blessed with a new set of children. He lived on to 140 years, seeing four generations of his family.

Prosperity teachers would happily pick out this latter part of Job's life to teach about divine restoration and material blessings but would ignore or hardly teach about the former part that describes his afflictions!

Reason? They deny Christian suffering, a doctrine that is plainly taught in both sections of the Bible and even by Christ Himself! 

We learn from Job's story that God permits trials and afflictions upon his covenant people as part of our spiritual fortification. This truth is affirmed in the New Testament Scripture. James 1:2-4 says "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."

If one could summarize the story of Job in one statement, it would perhaps read thus:

No matter what God's children go through in this world, God has His divine purposes to fulfill in us. He will never abandon us nor forsake us. Christian suffering is evidence that we belong to God and that He is preparing us for the life to come.

Our eternal hope in Christ Jesus is far greater compared with the suffering and afflictions that we may undergo in this present world.

God has laid up for us eternal treasure in heaven which awaits us.

1 Peter 4:12-13 says "Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy."

When Jesus is revealed, we shall be ushered into the fullness of His eternal glory.

Keep it Christ!

Shalom

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020