http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=job%2021-23&version=NIV
What’s more frustrating than the fact that bad things happen to good people? You guessed it – it’s that good things often happen to bad people. Granted, we are all bad. We have all sinned and we all fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). I’m talking about the people who choose to walk in open indifference to the ways of the Lord. We see it on the news, in the classrooms, at the office and in our own neighborhoods. Music artists using their talents to spread messages full of hate and violence and sex. Athletes use their fame as an excuse for their immoral and sometimes illegal behavior. Co-workers manipulate and deceive others on their way to success. Students cheat their way through school and never get caught. We see people who literally get away with murder.
We watch as the morally corrupt are dancing and partying and getting rich. They seem to be having the time of their lives. Suddenly we are attacked by that little green monster called envy. He’s been creeping around, whispering things like “why do they get to have all the fun?” or “they never seem to struggle even though they live a life of sin” or “is it worth it to even try to live right?”
James 3:16 tells us “For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there”. That cup of confusion brewed by the envy monster is one of Satan’s favorite tools to separate us from God. The Psalmist in Psalm 73 almost drank from that cup as described in verses 2 -3: “But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”
The solution can be found later in Psalm 73:16-17 when the Psalmist says “When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.” He entered the sanctuary of God and saw the bigger picture. What is the sanctuary of God? It’s a holy place of worship and communion with God and a place where we learn of the Word of God and connect with the Holy Spirit. When we go to that place we remember who our final Judge is and that “He will judge the world in righteousness; he will govern the peoples with justice (Psalm 9:8). It’s a place where we cling to the promise of the gift of salvation that we have if we confess that “Jesus is Lord," and believe that God raised him from the dead (Romans 10:19). It’s a place where we praise God for His promise of eternal life that is free from suffering - from death, or mourning or crying or pain (Rev 21:4).
In chapter 21, when Job points out that the wicked often seem to go unpunished, it is not because he has taken a drink from that cup of envy. Job’s friends are still attributing his suffering to punishment for his wickedness. Job is simply pointing out the flaw in their argument – that often we don’t see the punishments of the wicked. My guess is that Job had spent some time in the sanctuary of God. He has spent time in worship and in prayer and in the Word of God. He was fully connected with the Holy Spirit and instead of drinking that cup of envy and deceit, he is drinking from a cup of faith – a faith in his Judge that allows him to rest in the knowledge that when he has his trial before God, he will “come out as gold” (Job 23:10).
Psalm 73 ends with verse 28: “But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.” We all go through times where we are unsatisfied with our lives. We feel like we are doing everything right, yet we suffer. We watch others do everything wrong and they dance. These are the times we must draw near to the Lord and he will draw near to us (James 4:8). We must go to the sanctuary and worship and pray and get lost in the Word of God. There we will find our refuge in the Lord. There we will find our hope and we, like Job will be able to come out as gold!
Today's blog submitted by Kelly Coxe
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It is very difficult at times NOT to judge others. How many times have we heard people say that the Old Testament law was "an eye for an eye" and that Jesus said "turn the other cheek"? I have heard people say that they are confused by these two different ideologies, and that the Bible contradicts itself. Well, I just recently was again educated by the Bible. I personally am very afraid of our current president, and my anger is over-whelming. I was starting to let my "old self" get the better of me, and my anger was turning into rage. A learned, God-fearing, very helpful friend reminded me to read the Gospel. Although I am right to be afraid(simply because if we don't learn from the past, then we are doomed to repeat it), I am not right to forget to trust The Lord. Although the Psalms deals with a new leader being needed, the Gospel says to respect the government institution. My point to all of that is to say that we as Christians are to be different from the secular world, and we are to be NOTICEABLY DIFFERENT. Although many citizens and leaders are talking about how something has to be done, I have to trust Jesus and wait for the voting process to do it's thing, and be part of those who vote our liberal government officials out of office. It is easy to side with those who say things like," you know, back in the day, it was an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth..." **Well, not only does the Gospel tell us differently, but even way back in Exodus God said I WILL REPAY. also Moses' father-in-law(Jethro) warned Moses of the burden(s)of judging others, and that the only way to do so was by making laws and by having help from God and from many people. These illustrations speak to the negative effect(s) which feelings of anger, stemming from judgement, can have on peoples' hearts. Lastly, most of us know, as Christians, that if we judge others, we will be judged even more harshly than the Lord has already PROMISED us that we will be when we stand before Him in judgement.
ReplyDeleteI did some follow up and have a correction(for the record)-->I referenced Exodus, but the following actually comes from JOB-->These re-emphasise that we are to let the Lord repay those who prosper even in the face of their own wickedness-->Job 21:17-->God distributes sorrow in his anger. Job 21:20-->His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty. Job 21:30,31-->The wicked is reserved for the day of destruction-they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath. Who shall declare his way to his face and who shall repay him what he hath done?
ReplyDeletePeace and love................
David, I just wanted to comment on the "eye for an eye" and "turn the other cheek".
ReplyDeleteThe "eye for an eye" was the law of retaliation in the Old Testament. God intended that this law prevent inappropriate punishment (the punishment should fit the crime) and was imposed by civil authorities rather than individuals. (from the ESV Study Bible)
So when Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also."
Jesus if focusing on individual conduct and he is prohibiting the universal human tendency to seek personal revenge. (See Romans 12:19)
The Jews of Jesus time had perverted this "eye for an eye" and other laws and rights they had such as the right of divorce. Jesus came and gave them a corrective on how the laws and rights were to be applied and in fact raised the standard by saying,
"You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
See you in class and talk to you later.
Russ