Put on your big boy pants and let's talk. The Lord responds to Job "out of the
whirlwind." The Lord's response to
Job is to put him in his place by putting Himself on the throne, reminding Job
that a bit of knowledge gained from eating of the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil is definitely not the only difference between God and man. It isn't only knowledge that separates us
although that gulf is vast and unbridgeable.
It is also power that separates us.
God not only knows the answers to the questions, He reminds Job of His
creative power and wisdom. It is a
magnificent tour de force that turns the question from Job's righteousness to
God's. Like Mary and Martha in the
Lazarus story, Job needed a bigger picture because he had drilled down too
deeply inside himself in his pain.
What would possess anyone who witnessed the raising of
Lazarus from the dead to go to the Pharisees?
Possibly so that they might believe now but that isn't really the
implication John makes here and the result is not that at all. They now come together to decide what must be
done about Jesus. You would think they
might have a bit of fear after hearing of this miracle wouldn't you. I would certainly have fear if a man simply
spoke and called the dead back to life, that is power you don't see every
day. Caiphas' words are prophetic even
though he has no idea that he is being used.
He says the rest neither know anything nor understand what he believes
to be the truth and the reality is that he is the one guilty of darkening
counsel without knowledge.
The council writes to the Gentile Christian community,
extending the right hand of fellowship and offering what amounts to apologies
for the trouble that has come to them through some Christians from
Jerusalem. They are assured that these
do not represent the leadership of the community and that if the Gentiles will
adhere to a few simple rules they will be fully recognized by all. We are having trouble with one of those few
commands now aren’t we? We would like to
redefine sexual morality on our own. The
new community in Antioch receives the communiqué with joy and Paul and Barnabas
continue on there teaching and encouraging the community. God's work is bigger than anyone realized in
the beginning, it includes a plan of salvation for all those created in His
image.
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