Rescue Is A Key Word

But by means of their suffering, he rescues those who suffer. For he gets their attention through adversity. [Job 36.15]

Elihu, who made the statement above about God, is the only one in Job's story who did not get rebuked by God.

If this is an indication that we can trust what Elihu said as accurate and true according to God's standards, then we need to give careful consideration to what he said!

The verse quoted above is full of useful information. It speaks of suffering and adversity and it speaks of rescue all in the same context. Rescue is a key word.

Who does not experience suffering and adversity at some point in life? And why is that? Because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God! 

Suffering and adversity are God's means to get the offender's attention so that he or she might repent and be rescued. Verse 21 of the same chapter only further confirms this:

Be on guard! Turn back from evil, for God sent this suffering to keep you from a life of evil. [Job 36.21]

Only in this way are suffering and adversity a blessing: in that they are designed to lead to repentance thus leading to restoration. The 'blessing' is complete in restoration, not in just suffering. 

The curses that Job experienced are described clearly in Deuteronomy 28 (starting in verse 15) as the just reward for disobedience. I am not making this up - read it and understand!

If Job's story teaches us anything at all, it is that repentance leads to restoration - to redemption! But, instead of  by animal sacrifices, we are redeemed by faith in the Lamb of God Whose blood was shed for the world. We have the "mediator" Job cried out for more than once!

As complex as the story of Job is, there remains a simple story of sinful pride, its just reward, necessary repentance, and gracious restoration.

Based on Job's story, we are faced with a couple of options: One, ignore Job's obvious and simple story lesson and arrogantly refuse to acknowledge curses as indicators of our need to repent; or two, acknowledge curses upon our lives as God's call and our duty to repentance (so that we might be restored to blessings).

To say Job's story is more complicated than is described above is to deny that curses are indicators of the need for repentance. This flawed "complicated" theory is based on testimony of those who repented but saw no restoration (based on their personal judgment that they sufficiently repented???). The only genuine indicator that repentance is complete is restoration. Consequently, repentance is incomplete until the curses are gone!  The only indicator that the sin of the world (put upon Jesus) was forgiven was His resurrection (His restoration!)! Had He remained in the grave, He would have remained under the curse. The only indicator that we are forgiven is that the curses are broken - until then, we must repent.

I know, I know, it sounds like all we will be doing is repenting... And, that's a bad thing because...???

Father, forgive me for pride and arrogance in my life. Forgive me for being stiff-necked and resistant to Your Spirit - Your calling to Kingdom life and holiness. Forgive me for ever judging repentance "complete" in me while curses remain upon me. Forgive me for accepting self-justification even when it contradicts Your Word.