Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Apostle Tom <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Fri, 30 May 2008 09:12:11 -0500
To: <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Morning Manna (May 31); BP: Job 36; RBTTY: Jn. 12:1-26; II Chron.
May 31 “How Great Thou Art”
“Behold, God is mighty and despises not any. He is mighty in strength and wisdom. He preserves not the life of the wicked, but gives right to the poor. He withdraws not His eyes from the righteous. . . Remember that you magnify His work, which men behold. Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off. Behold, God is great and we know Him not, neither can the number of His years be searched out.”
Job 36:5-7a, 24-26
We may not understand why we’re going through what we are; but God is faithful and will use everything for our good and His Glory (Rom. 8:28).
Job, the oldest book in the Bible and possibly written by Moses, is an intriguing story of God’s sovereignty and man’s suffering. Although our minds cannot grasp why God would allow satan to attack Job—robbing him of his possessions, servants and children—we still must accept its message by faith. Too often we put more emphases upon logic and carnal reasoning than we do love and surrender. . .and we’ll always be upset, fretting and fuming until we can honestly say “God is good” (Ps. 73:1) and “How Great Thou Art!”
The first part of the book reveals Job’s character as one who was “perfect (Heb. ‘tam’—‘pious, gentle, upright, undefiled, etc.’), upright, feared God and avoided evil” (1:1, 8). When word reached him of the loss of everything he held dear (vv.13-19), Job’s grief was very apparent (v.20), but in the midst of it he still said “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb and naked shall I return. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away—blessed be the name of the Lord” (v.21).
Later on, when terrible sores covered him from head to foot (2:7) and his wife said, “Curse God and die” (2:9), Job refused to accuse God and become bitter. Instead, he said “What? Shall we receive good at God’s hand and not evil” (v.10a)—and, “in all this Job did not sin with his lips” (v.10b).
After Job’s three “friends”—Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar—came to visit (2:11-13) and began telling him that his suffering was because of his sins (4:1-5:6; 8:1-22; 11:1-20; 18:1-21; 20:1-29; 22:1-30; 25:1-6), Job defended his integrity and innocence (6:1-7:21; 9:1-10:22; 12:1-17:16; 19:1-29; 21:1-34; 23:1-24:25; 26:1-31:40).
It was at this point that young Elihu redirected their focus upon God—Who He was and what He’d done (32:1-37:24). The Lord then spoke to Job out of a whirlwind, asking him where he was when the earth was formed (38:4-6). . .when the stars and sea were made (38:7-16). . .when He created snow, hail and rain (38:22-30). . .when the wild animals were fed and reproduced (38:39-39:17). . .when the horse was prepared for the day of battle (39:19-25) and when He taught the hawk and eagle to fly (39:26-30).
These reminders caused Job to realize how he’d lost sight of the One Who’d blessed him all along and resorted to defending and justifying himself (10:7; 13:15; 32:1-2). Pride had subtly slipped into his perseverance, as had contempt for his “friends” (11:3-4; 16:2-5, 20; 19:1-19; 21:3). But, remembering God’s greatness brought repentance (40:4-5; 42:5-6), intercession (42:10a) and restoration (42:10b)—as it will for us.
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