Bible Through the Year: Episode 2

Week 2 Devotion (Download PDF)

Introduction to wisdom literature and the book of Job…

The book of Job begins the wisdom and poetry section of the Bible, which includes Job, the Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. These books trade the cold hard facts of history for the warm beauty of artistic expression. The wisdom literature is filled with songs of praise and poems of love, but as we see here in Job it is also filled with lament, sorrow and pain.

Reading the book of Job allows us to enter into the pain and confusion that comes when there seems to be no answer to why suffering has come. Chapters 1-2 serve as the prologue for the book, setting the scene for the reader’s journey; but Job has no knowledge of these chapters. In chapter 3 we enter into the body of the book that recounts the conversation between Job and his 3 friends and this conversations takes us all the way through chapter 37. Finally, in chapters 38-42 God speaks to Job and the tension of the book is resolved.

Week Two Devotion:

Something to discuss…

Job 3:25-26 "For the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me. I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, but trouble comes.”

Job’s pain is real. His suffering is severe and he doesn’t know why he is going through it. Job is adamant that there is no hidden sin in his life that has brought about this suffering and this begs the question: “Why is this happening?” There are times in life when we aren’t given a firm answer to our deepest questions. There are times in life when our circumstances are difficult, even painful, but the reason for our trials are hidden from us.

It is in those times of silent darkness that we need our best theology. When suffering comes and we don’t understand what is going on, where is God? Does He know what we are going through? Does He care? What does He want from us? How does the truth of God’s faithfulness help us endure hardship? What comfort can we find when trials and suffering comes?

The answer from the book of Job is that God wants us to trust Him. We don’t have to figure everything out, but God wants us to trust that He is working out His good purpose for us in the midst of the silent darkness. God sees, God knows and He will be faithful.

James 5:11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

Something to consider…

Much of the book of Job is taken up with Job’s friends trying to get him to confess the hidden sin in his life that is causing all of his suffering. His friend Eliphaz in 4:7-8 gives a pretty good summary of what Job’s friends think about the situation.

“Remember: who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off? As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same."

Chapter after chapter, Job’s friends work together to try and get him to confess his dirty and sinful secrets that must be the cause of all that has happened. But through it all they are wrong. Oh, they say some really good things at times but the truths they speak simply don’t apply to Job.

There is a lesson for us in this and it has to do with how we minister to one another in the midst of trials. As we come alongside a brother or sister in their season of suffering it is not our responsibility to make sure they see how bad they are. There is a time for confrontation and rebuke but we are foolish and hurtful when we speak to confront or rebuke without knowing all the details. Some hurts are better left for God to fix and our responsibility is to listen, to be present, to serve, to love and to pray for one another. Let’s not be like Job’s friends.

Something to pray about…

As you read through the book of Job pray that God would use this book to help prepare you for the times of suffering that may come. Pray that the vision of God in chapters 38-41 would give you confidence that even on your worst day you can trust God completely. Pray that God would help you to remember that even when you don’t understand what is going on in your life down here on earth, you can trust that God is fighting a battle for you in Heaven.

Pray that God would use our reading of the book of Job to grow a gospel culture at Cornerstone. Pray that we can grow as a church in loving one another through trials and faithfully representing God in our ministry to one another.

Conclusion…

Next week we will be reading Genesis 12-31 where God begins to reveal His plan to save the world from the sin that broke out in the Garden. Our reading will introduce us to a man named Abram, who received a promise from God that changed the world.

 

Bible Through the Year: Episode 1

Week 1 Devotion (Download PDF)

Introduction to our reading plan…Why read through the whole Bible?

I Timothy 3:15 From childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Many modern people are familiar with the Bible but the people of God are to be students of the Bible. The Bible is God’s Word. The Bible doesn’t simply contain God’s words; it is God’s Word and by it we are made wise for salvation through faith that is in Jesus Christ. The Bible is bread and water for thirsty and hungry souls.

In 2017 we want you to join with the rest of the body at Cornerstone to read the Bible. The plan that we have selected is a Chronological plan that aims to keep the historical context together. This format keeps the prophetic books and the historical books side by side. It keeps the Psalms of David in line with what was happening in his life when he wrote them. The goal of such a plan is to keep the flow of Biblical history intact.

In addition to your reading, we will be posting weekly devotional guides to supplement your reading. These guides will be very simple and aim to help you in three ways: discussion, reflection, and prayer. Each devotion will encourage discussion, further study, and focused prayer about the week’s reading. The guides can be used personally, as a family, or as a community group. You may even consider asking an unbelieving friend, neighbor, or co-worker to read through the Bible with you and meet up with them every couple of weeks to talk about it.

2017 may be the first time you have set out to read through the Bible in a year. If so, you are in for an incredible year. Some days it will be difficult to find time to read, don’t let that discourage you. Some days you will want to read ahead because the story is captivating, go ahead. Either way, let’s commit to reading through God’s Word together in 2017.

 

Something to discuss…

“The Bible is unique among the sacred texts of the world’s religions in that it is structured as a history of the cosmos. It claims to show us the shape, the structure, the origin, and the goal not merely of human history but of cosmic history (Leslie Newbigin).”

Genesis 1-11 are among the most debated chapters in all of the Bible. But can we trust that these chapters give us a faithful understanding of the beginning of all things? How did the Apostle Paul look upon these first chapters of Genesis (2 Corinthians 4:6)? What was Jesus’ view of Genesis and the rest of the Old Testament Scriptures (Matthew 5:17-18, Matt 12:38-42, Matt 19:1-6)?

Jesus Christ, the Son of God and our Savior, trusted that the Bible was the very Word of God and that it could be trusted in both the concepts and the details. He believed that every sentence, phrase and word was/is trustworthy. Do we trust the Bible the way Jesus trusted the Bible?

Something to consider…

The book of Job is about one man’s horrible suffering and the questions that surround his suffering. “Why do good people suffer? Is suffering a sign of hidden sin? Is there such a thing as innocent suffering?” These are questions that come up throughout the book but to our disappointment the answer to “why” Job is suffering is never given. Which suggests that the book of Job is not fundamentally about suffering, it is about God.

As you read through the book of Job consider that God doesn’t comfort Job with the knowledge of “why” he is suffering because relief from suffering is not offered through “why.” Ultimate relief from all suffering is found in “who.” Ultimate relief from suffering is found in knowing God himself. In other words, we will not always understand “why” we are going through painful or difficult times, but like Job we can grow to learn that God is enough to comfort our suffering soul.

Something to pray about…

The people of Babel had a goal in life, “let us make a name for ourselves (Gen 11:4).” This same longing resides in our hearts as well. The root of sin is a prideful desire to take the throne of God for ourselves. We want the glory He is due. We want to be in control. We want to determine what is right and wrong.

Pray that God would help you to see the specific instances of pride that still lurk in your heart. Pray that God would help you to grow in gospel humility. Pray that the goal of your life would be to, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matt 5:33).” Thank God that the strength of His grace is more powerful than your capacity for evil (Gen 6:5).