Job certainly recalls his greatness. It is a bit much isn't it? He begins this speech recounting the heights
from which he has fallen in enjoying the blessing of God and the presence of
God in his life and then moves to the wonderful things he did and the respect
he received from all in the area. He did
have much and he did righteousness, but does the lack thereof mean that the
Lord is no longer with him, no longer blessing him? Job's theology is similar to his friends, he
believes the Lord has been just in blessing him for his righteousness and now
unjust because nothing on Job's end has changed. Job doesn't understand either God or life
very well yet. He doesn't truly believe
in the sovereignty of God in all things, his religion is quite superstitious at
this point.
Jesus' response to their picking up stones is to ask which
good work He has done that has caused them to react this way. They are well aware of what He has just said
and it is for blasphemy that they are prepared to stone Him. Jesus points to Scripture to make His defense
but also says more, that His claim is verifiable based on the deeds He has
done. Unlike Job, Jesus says that His
righteousness and His good works don't
point to Himself, they point to the Father.
Jesus isn't looking to justify Himself but the Father. Their rejection of Him is rejection of
God. How can we now preach a health and
wealth Gospel when we see true righteousness persecuted in Jesus?
When Paul and Barnabas went to Iconium they faced two forms
of opposition, the first the poisoning of the minds of those who believed
against the apostles as well as the other believers and then a physical
opposition that planned mistreatment and stoning. In the face of the first opposition the two
men persevered a long time in preaching and teaching. When the tactics became physical, they left
the town. We need to deal with verbal
and other opposition in the same way, continue to preach the Gospel. In Lystra Paul worked a miracle of
healing. The people didn't understand
the power wasn't inherent in Paul but was a sign that pointed beyond Paul. The people misunderstood and when the two men
got wind of their false belief, set about getting it right. There is always a danger when God works
powerfully through us that people will ascribe it to us. We have to be careful to always give glory to
the Lord whose power works in and through us.
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