The Struggle
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The Struggle
The Struggle
We are going through the book of Job.
We are not going verse by verse, otherwise we would be here for quite some time.
I ENCOURAGE YOU to do that yourself though.
Many people say they like the book of Job...
But they NEVER SLOW DOWN to read it.
As a reminder:
None of the humans know what is going on
The satan challenged God and God is answering the challenge
Job has lost everything, including his health
Today, we are going to explore an interesting point.
Job opens with this...
“Is not all human life a struggle?”
Most of us can identify with this...
“Is not all human life a struggle?”
Literally...
“For the human on earth, is it not a war?”
A war…with who or what?
For Job…it is a war. That is the word that is used.
We will see other translations smooth out that word.
But Job see life as a WAR.
To be at WAR…you need ANOTHER...
Who or What is Job at war with?
That is what we are going to explore today...
Job 7-9 (Insert this in the auto reading)
For the human on earth, is it not a war?
Their days are like the days of a worker,
Like a servant who gasps for shade, and
like a worker who hopes for their wage.
Job 7:1-2.
WAR:
Work, having to eat from the earth (Genesis)
Not in a paradise, but in the heat of the sun
And you HOPE it pays off
You hope it is worth it.
You hope it is good for something!
But for Job, his payment is the following...
So, my possessions (wages) are months of futility,
and nights of anxiety are appointed (paid) to me.
If I lay in bed, I say, “When will I rise up?”,
the night is measured and I am satisfied
with wandering until dawn.
Job 7:3-4
Job sees his payment as:
Worthless
Anxiety
Sleeplessness
Notice…THERE IS NO PERSPECTIVE OF THE PAST...
WHAT HE HAD is ALL HE HAS…NOTHING
Job TURNS his questions to GOD
If I have done wrong,
what did I do to you,
you who preserve humans?
Why have you made me into
a target for yourself, so that
I have become a burden to myself?
Job 7:20
Do you remember when Jesus said, “In this world you are going have problems. If the world HATES me, think of how it will HATE you.”
Job does not have this perspective.
He is not considering that an intelligent evil is working against him.
He considers the Most High God is working against him.
He sees this relationship as such that it is INDIVIDUAL.
Job offends God, God punishes Job.
That is a personal relationship.
He is so physically damaged, he cannot even take care of himself.
He is a burden to himself.
Then Bildad the Shuhite replied to Job: “How long will you go on like this? You sound like a blustering wind. Does God twist justice? Does the Almighty twist what is right? Your children must have sinned against him, so their punishment was well deserved. But if you pray to God and seek the favor of the Almighty, and if you are pure and live with integrity, he will surely rise up and restore your happy home. And though you started with little, you will end with much.
With friends like these huh?
I have told you that Job’s friends represent different “BELIEFS” about EVIL and SUFFERING.
Pay CLOSE ATTENTION to these THEORIES...
You children sinned, that is why they died: Is that TRUE?
BUT...
IF YOU...
PRAY to GOD
SEEK the FAVOR of Sheddai
Are PURE and live with INTEGRITY
THEN...
GOD will RISE
GOD will RESTORE YOU
AND...
GOD WILL BLESS YOU WITH RICHES and FAMILY
Behold, God will not reject the blameless one,
and he will not strengthen the hand of the evildoer.
Job 8:20
As a point of fact, this is exactly what seems to have happened.
How is Job going to respond to this?
Will he remain strong and not curse (bless) God and die?
Then Job spoke again: “Yes, I know all this is true in principle. But how can a person be declared innocent in God’s sight? If someone wanted to take God to court, would it be possible to answer him even once in a thousand times? For God is so wise and so mighty. Who has ever challenged him successfully?
Job agrees with Bildad, in principle.
Remember he made SACRIFICES for his children JUST IN CASE...
Job is thinking to himself...
What court has AUTHORITY to judge God?
Even if I were right, I would have no defense. I could only plead for mercy. And even if I summoned him and he responded, I’m not sure he would listen to me. For he attacks me with a storm and repeatedly wounds me without cause. He will not let me catch my breath, but fills me instead with bitter sorrows. If it’s a question of strength, he’s the strong one. If it’s a matter of justice, who dares to summon him to court?
He sees his argument is futile.
That is why he is sleepless and restless.
(HE THINKS WELL for a person with EVIL SORES)
If only there were a mediator between us, someone who could bring us together. The mediator could make God stop beating me, and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment. Then I could speak to him without fear, but I cannot do that in my own strength.
A mediator…Someone like Jesus...
But he is not here yet for Job.
Is God beating Job? No. He is speculating because he does not know why this has happened.
Job wants someone to vent too about...
War with the PAST (unchangeable)
War with the FUTURE (unpredictable)
Creates a war in the PRESENT (unlivable)
Job wants someone to vent too about...
(That is Jesus for the Christian)
We will not fix the past
We cannot predict the future
And it is unlivable today
TIME....
Which makes the STRUGGLE a conflict with TIME.
How long will the STRUGGLE continue?
For Job...
What he HAD is all he HAS
And this is a loop we all get stuck in, because of time.
What is the Christian ANSWER to all of this...
Happy is the one who endures testing, because when he has proven to be genuine, he will receive the crown of life that God promised to those who love him.
The STRUGGLE is unavoidable.
The WAR is between LIFE and DEATH.
It is part of living in a world impacted by EVIL.
THE MYTH IS…that if you are good enough, innocent enough, do enough of the right things…then GOD will protect you.
And it is a MYTH...
For us, we can NOT CONTRIBUTE to the STRUGGLE of OTHERS.
That is why Jesus says “Pray for your enemies.”
Don’t create a STRUGGLE for yourself or others.
But, there is nothing that guarantees AVOIDING the STRUGGLE.
While that is not necessarily good news...
It is the truth.
Remember what Job said.
Honest words hurt.