Job - Justification

Once again I return to the amazing book of Job and search for the greater meaning and understanding of these texts  for todays believers. As I continued reading this morning, it is not hard to see even todays arguments and thoughts as a repeat of those of Job's so called friends. As they sit and debate with Job, it is obvious that they are not looking for the true cause of Job's affliction but seeking to justify it with their own experiences.

We do this in society today, as I sit and listen to people as they debate the ongoing and escalating problems of the world and by far not the least being the rise of attacks from Islamist extremists. It is easy to hear how people justify the reasons behind this uprising with their own understanding and experience. Often seeing the problem merely associated with allowing people of different races or religion to mix with one another. But taking this as a classical example, allowing different religious ideology mix is not the problem but the basis or grounding of the ideology which is the real issue.

In society and during Job's experience we compare our circumstances with what we know and understand and this is often the case when it comes to justification. Justification is something that many simply cannot grasp, that is that Christ would grant mankind a pardon for the their sins. In our own minds this kind of grace, being unmerited, doesn't make any sense. But for Jesus, the Lamb of God who came to take away our sin it makes perfect sense.

God being all knowing, but also completely full of love towards His creation always had a plan of salvation for mankind, in fact bible scholars who interpret the Pentateuch tell us that hidden in the symbolism of the text, even in the first few verses of Genesis is found God's plan of salvation.



This verse found in Genesis is a good example

When we are able to compare our circumstances and experiences to this sort of wisdom and understanding, then we also might be able to comment effectively with today's problems, but until then, we are more or less just blowing in the wind. It is therefore imperative that we rely on our heavenly Father and His precious Holy Spirit to reveal such things to us.