#049 On this episode DrZ explores what many have noted as the masterpiece of literary poetic work in the Bible or elsewhere in literature, the book of Job. While most don’t recognize the literary significance of this ancient book what they hear or think about Job is a misnomer – “Why do bad things happen to good people at the hands of a mean and vengeful God?” This could not be further than the truth of what is revealed in Job. Yet, that may be why the deceiver of truth, the father of lies, keeps this opinion first and foremost in a person’s mind.
In Job you will discover the deep pit of darkness (i.e. pride) that binds those who think they have escaped judgment because of their own righteousness earned by self-sacrifice and doing good works. Perhaps this is the cause for intellectuals of the highest order finding it most difficult to believe in the foolishness of God by which he confounds the wise.
Job was no one’s fool but his own; as are we all. And he demonstrated and argued his foolishness to three of his friends that only dug a deep hole deeper. Then a mediator stepped into scene when Job and his three friends had run out of words. The mediator described how pride in self-righteousness keeps man from recognizing the significance of past sins; and that those past sins are still festering an unpleasant judgment. Man’s righteousness or sin does not affect God who shows no partiality or favor to anyone but gives to all what they deserve.
Trials, the mediator described, are used by God to awaken a person to the reality of what their past sins and active sin of pride deserve (good works do not cancel out the sin!!). In these trials the prideful call out to God claiming they are unjustly suffering in light of their own righteousness. God pays no attention to their pleas. Pride in his beauty is what corrupted Lucifer’s wisdom and caused him to think he could ascend to the throne of God and be like God most high.
The resolution is found when man apart from his pride recognizes the signifance of sin and the justice of God. Those that repudiate their sin, are in anguish of their transgressions, and repent of their sin with their whole heart and pray to God – God hears their prayer and restores them. Those that continue to consider their sin as of no account on the basis of their own righteousness face utter destruction. The difference between these two responses is one sees God and repents, the other sees only themselves and the world around them.
The response of a man when he sees God or Jesus (who is God) becomes what the Bible describes as “being undone.” Best example is Isaiah’s response when he sees the LORD high and lifted up, Isaiah 6:5 - “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts.”
Listen, Enjoy, Share… DrZ
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