Not Forsaken Brought Closer

“As long as my breath is in me, and the breath of God in my nostrils, my lips will not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. Far be it from me that I should say you are right; till I die I will not put away my integrity from me. My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go; my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live.” [1]

The breath of God keeps us alive. We are living on borrowed breath. God revealed this truth to Job, as well as a much greater truth. The truth that he was right though everything about his circumstances seem to say he was wrong! He would not yield for a moment to the accusation of “friends” who surmised that he was cursed by God. Job held fast to the truth that he was right before God. He refused reproach.

Job’s friends were like the crowd who said to Pilate, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” And later, “Let God deliver Him if He delights in Him.” Such people wonder how could a bloody, bruised, spat on, verbally abused and crucified criminal be the Messiah? [2]

The prophets and apostles of Christ experienced similar scorn. Perhaps, this is why the prophets are seldom read, and why the sufferings of Paul for Christ are seldom proclaimed! Paul wrote to Timothy, his son in the faith, saying, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” [3]

Satan hated Job because he was a type of Christ in the Old Testament. He reflected the life of God to those around him. Physically speaking, like God, he owned much property, he had servants, and he had sons and daughters. Spiritually speaking, like God, Job did what was right and he also made sacrifices to atone for the sins of his children. God called Job blameless three times. [4]

Job, in essence, wanted to know from God: “My God My God, why have You forsaken Me?” He had followed God meticulously. Why do other believers offer to God lackadaisical service, but not suffer as much as I do?

God’s prophetic examples of Christ often live as the Levites lived. The tribe of Levi was not allocated a portion of the Promised Land because God said that He was their portion. The Lord provided for the Levites via the offerings that people gave to God. [5]

Job knew that wisdom was from God. He told his friends, “I will teach you about the hand of God; what is with the Almighty I will not conceal.” Then, he asked them, “Where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?” He told them, “The price of wisdom is above rubies. The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, nor can it be valued in pure gold.” “God understands its way, and He knows its place.” “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.” [6]

The wisdom of God helped Job to discern that he had not suffered loss due to any specific sin that he had committed. He truly was Christlike in his walk with God.

Here are some highlights from God’s walk with Job. “The friendly counsel of God was over my tent.” “The rock [Christ] poured out rivers of oil [the Holy Spirit] for me!” “When the ear heard, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw, then it approved me; because I delivered the poor who cried out, the fatherless and the one who had no helper. The blessing of a perishing man came upon me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.” “Men listened to me and waited and kept silence for my counsel.” [7]

Job ended his speech to his friends by welcoming curses upon himself if he had done wrong to anyone, or if he had denied God. [8]

Christ suffered cruel hatred from Satan because He dared to defy the devil and live for God His Father in the ministry of saving sinners from sin’s consequences.

This teaching greatly comforts me.

Between 1985-1997, the Lord blessed me with a calling to the people of Guangzhou and Hong Kong, China. What I liked most about this calling was that Jesus embodied His ministry in me. I got to represent God to the Chinese. I also got help widows and orphans. The Lord did miraculous physical healings. He cast out demons from people. Souls turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. But then, the Lord allowed Satan to attack my family to the point that we could bear it no more. We returned to the USA where it seems all that I did, and all that I learned meant nothing to no one. I could not even provide shelter and food for my family. I was so devastated. So heartbroken! I felt like a tree that had been bit by lightning and split down the middle. Why did something so right end so wrong? Why had God forsaken me? Why did He allow me to be mocked and abandoned?

The answer is Christ! He wanted to add dimension to my love for Christ by allowing me to experience in a limited fashion some of what He suffered. He had not taken from me the ministry of embodying Him to others, He expanded it. He taught me to love as He, the prophets and the apostles love.

The Bible makes more sense when you read it through the filter of Christ. For example, the Psalms!

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.” [9]

The part about none of His bones being broken is quoted as being fulfilled by Christ in John 19:36. Jesus experienced many afflictions but was delivered from them all.

A lack of love for God is the main sin from which all sin flows. A right relationship with God is more than a legal contract. It is a marriage. To have, to hold, to cherish, and never be separated from God forever!

Being taken from China and Hong Kong was not being taken from Christ. Christ needed to increase, I needed to decrease. [10]

Satan has robbed and beaten many faithful servants of Christ, but Christ replaces what was lost with more of Himself. This is a victory. It is the love of Christ embodied in human flesh by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.

When the Psalmist wrote of self-denial for the sake of undeserving sinners, he prophesied of Christ. David wrote, “Fierce witnesses rise up; they ask me things that I do not know. They reward me evil for good to the sorrow of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting; and my prayer would return to my own heart. I paced about as though he were my friend or brother; I bowed down heavily, as one who mourns for his mother. But in my adversity, they rejoiced and gathered together; attackers gathered against me, and I did not know it; they tore at me and did not cease; with ungodly mockers at feasts they gnashed at me with their teeth. Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue me from their destructions, my precious life from the lions.” [11]

The soul of Jesus was sorrowful even unto death. False witnesses testified against Him. He did humble Himself. He did pray. He mourned for the people of Jerusalem who did recognize the time of God’s visitation via Messiah to their city. They mocked Him. They beat Him. He needed rescued from these fierce lions. He is the One whom the Psalmist wrote about. [12]

Those who love to sin delight in the pain of the righteous for our pain seems to affirm to them that they are making the right choice to go on sinning. They need the Holy Spirit to reveal to them the depths of their error and to help them see the truth of the matter.

The compensation that we have in Christ for our suffering is His fellowship. His presence! His love! David wrote, “How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore, the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light. O, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You, and Your righteousness to the upright in heart.” [13]

[1] Job 27:3-6
[2] Matthew 27:22-23, 43; Mark 15:13-14; Luke 23:21; John 19:15
[3] 2 Timothy 3:12
[4] Job 1:1, 1:8, 2:3
[5] Deuteronomy 18:1-2, Matthew 27:46
[6] Job 27:11; Job 28:12, 18-20, 23, 28
[7] Job 29:4-5, 11-13, 21
[8] Job 31
[9] Psalm 34:19-22
[10] John 3:30
[11]Psalm 35:11-17
[12] Mark 14:34; 56; Philippians 2:8; Luke 19:41-42
[13] Psalm 36:7-10