7 September 2010
Psalm 45; Job 29:1-20; Acts 14:1-18; John 10:31-42

Job’s final defense argument begins as though he were a lawyer in the present day. He opens with a statement of how things used to be in order that we might know the heights from which he has fallen. When he occupied the place of honor, he used it to serve others, not himself. It was a wonderful life. If you want to make your case for restoration, it is important that you show to what you want to be restored. It seems certain that Job was indeed not only a blameless man but also a good man, but this recitation seems a bit over the top, as all memories are.

Clearly, Jesus’ accusers are in a quandary. He has either committed blasphemy with his claim or He is who He says He is. There is no question about what His claim is, they would not make the accusation or pick up stones unless He claimed to be God. He was not misunderstood and here we see that He invites them to examine His claims in light of the available evidence for its veracity. Those who came to the other side of the Jordan to see Him were those who believed, almost like a mini-Exodus from the Land to Him. Their statement re John not having done a sign indicates the test applied to a prophet, He needed to have either done something to authenticate himself or for his prophecy to have come true, Jesus’ signs authenticate John’s prophecy concerning Him.

In both Iconium and Lystra the Lord used signs and wonders to confirm the message of Paul and Barnabas. At Iconium the Jews did what they could to discredit their message among the Gentiles and eventually they were forced to leave there to escape the plot against them. Paul’s healing of the lame man at Lystra brings us to one of the more humorous scenes in the book of the Acts with the people prepared to offer sacrifices to the ones who effectuated the healing. Paul, who didn’t speak Lycaonian, doesn’t realize what they have ascribed to him until they are ready to worship the two apostles. His argument is from lesser to greater, something wonderful was done through him but he points to the one who created all things and who is sovereign over all things. Jesus did even more wonderful things and the people wouldn’t believe in Him and while He pointed always to the Father, He never denied His unity with the Father, not an argument from greater to lesser but unity.

Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness.