As I was listening to Chris' teaching this last Sunday (6/25/23) on 1 Corinthians, I was blessed with some understanding of how I'm supposed to see things. It was a correction of how I'd been looking at Job's life and his walk through that fiery trial. I hope that you'll all be able to follow me as I go through this.
You see, when I read Job, I can feel his pain. I have a disease that is similar to Job's condition in that I have painful sores that don't go away. These sores are only one of the aspects of the disease, but I don't really want to go into the ways I'm affected and/or the symptoms at this time. That's not what this is about. The point is that I identify with Job's suffering in a direct way.
The things he says, the way he describes his agony, his wondering why, his weariness of living, and even his friends advice and false accusations...I've experienced it all just like I'm sure you all have in one way or another in your own trials in life. The problem was that I kept thinking that God was going to take this disease away, that I was going to see my suffering end, my life change for the better, I would gain back what I had lost and I would come out with the Lord blessing me in the latter end more than the beginning!
Forgive my naiveté, but I suppose it has much to do with a desire for this struggle to end, and also to get on to the business of living a "normal life". So, I thought there might possibly be a happy ending to my own situation since I'm now saved and walking with the Lord. Reading about more blessings being bestowed upon Job at the end of his trial sounded
really good to me.
I want to post what I heard Chris say in his teaching on Sunday so you can listen if you want, but I can tell you that he was speaking on 1 Corinthians 15:38-45. The specific verse that he was speaking about is 1 Corinthians 15:43 when all of a sudden I was reminded of Job, and glory to God, my understanding of that book was opened up in a new way.
https://ia902709.us.archive.org/29/items/bereansonline0453/bereansonline0453.mp3This is Chris' commentary on the verses that led up to the understanding I got.
The glory (or the splendor and magnificence) of a blade of grass is certainly not comparible to the glory of the sun, and the idea is that we have a terrestrial body now, but the saints of God will receive a spiritual body that will be more glorious than the fleshly body, which is a simplistic way to give us a concept of the glory which is to come after Christ's return.
[v41] There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.The sun, moon, and stars all have their magnificence, but the sun far outshines the moon, and the moon far outshines the stars. Paul is pointing out the differences between them to make the next point.
[v42] So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:Just as there are differences in celestial bodies, there will also be differences in the glorified bodies of the saints in the reign of Christ, but all who repent and believe will be raised alive. Just as the seed breaks down in corruption, and is raised up without corruption, so shall the saints of God, having the same body, but different than what it was.
[v43] It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:Christ, as the only sinless man, was beaten, bruised, and pierced in His crucifixion, but after His death, He was raised in glory. We were sown into this world as sinful, shameful, and unclean, but by the grace of Christ, we will be raised into glory. We were sown in weakness, not just as babies who have no means to live on their own, requiring everything to be done for them, but also weak in that we are foolish, ignorant, subject to injury, starvation, and disease; yet, when we are translated into the Kingdom of God (Col 1:13), we will be raised in His power, having a clear understanding, and no longer subject to the weaknesses of the flesh.
If you listen to the teaching on audio, Chris adds a little more commentary which was part of what made me think about Job. He said:
I'm going through the process of a seed. I'm slowly decaying, and I will die, and upon that death, then I will be raised incorruptible; far, far better than when I was younger.
...So, for us Christians, that's why we don't worry about those things [ie. ailments, the body breaking down, decaying and dying] it's because we're getting them [vibrant bodies] back, and not just getting them back, but getting much, much more.
*The brackets in these quotes were my understanding of what Chris was saying, so please forgive me if I got that part wrong.
If you want to listen, this part is at about @17:42-18:38 in the audio.
It was at this point that I thought about the story of Job. Yes, the book of Job is to be taken literally, but there is another way that I take it now. Job's trial was difficult; so difficult, in fact, that he just wanted to die/wished that he had never been born, but Job endured and never cursed God. He went through his trial magnifying God and trusting Him through the storm.
Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
Job 13:15At the end of his trial, Job received back the abundance of what he had lost, and even much, much more.
So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.
Job 42:12When Job truly understood his foolishness to question Almighty God (God's timing and why this had happened to Job) then he abhorred himself (had godly sorrow and grief/repentance).
1 Then Job answered the LORD, and said, 2. I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. 3. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. 4. Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 5. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
6. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
Job 42:1-6 Job's body (when it was covered in sores) is a picture of a body sown in corruption. Through repentance and faith, we receive salvation/the gift of grace. Job's trial is a picture of the way we are to pick up our cross and follow Jesus; by living in obedience, holding fast to His precepts, reading God's word, keeping every thought captive, and striving against sin. With patience and trusting God through trials, we shall come forth as gold.
10. But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. 11. My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined. 12. Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
Job 23:10-12Suddenly it became clear to me that the end of Job's life was a picture of being raised in glory. His healed body is a picture of being raised in power; in a sinless, incorrupt and spiritual state. The abundant blessings that came
after his trial are a picture of our new bodies and treasures in Heaven. Yes, Job experienced more blessings than before in
this life while he lived out the remainder of his days on earth, but that's not the case for many people. We are told that we will suffer affliction and go through this life having tribulation.
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33Receiving healing blessings and being able to "live life" at this time would be a wonderful thing, but I have to keep in mind that the suffering in this life is nothing compared to the glory that I will see in Heaven.
17. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
2 Corinthians 4:1715. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Romans 8:15-18So, this was just a little more of a reality check for me and helpful for my growth, and I just wanted to share what I learned about the lesson in Job with everyone here.
