Suffering glory

Don’t lose heart, suffering brings glory!

Just before Paul begins to instruct the Ephesian believers about their conduct in Christ and the external proofs of their union with Christ, he reminds them of his imprisonment in Rome. Paul was under Roman house arrest due, among othe things, his preaching of the Gospel especially to the Gentiles and his developing doctrinal understanding regarding the necessity of circumcision for anyone – not just the Gentiles.

Paul did not want these gentile believers to become dishearted over his persecutions for having preached the gospel to them. In addtion to this he did not want them to forsake Christ to avoid persecutions themselves.

There was much of this which was “understood” and was therefore not detailed in this letter. I therefore took the time in this message to address some of the backstory behind Paul’s imprisonment a the reason for their glory in his sufferings. This was a dividing point in the early church which worked itself out, but in the beginning of the gospel being opened up to the Gentiles it was a tenuous and hot topic for which Paul was placed under much scrutiny and opposition.

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Job’s final rebuttal and defense…

These chapters cover Job’s last lines of defense he offers in rebuttal to Bildad and by extension to his other two friends as well.

Job sees himself in favorable light which appears to be a bit larger-than-real-life depiction.

Regardless of all this, Job has sunk into a type of pride from which God is about to deliver him by a most unlikely source!

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brought near

brought near

The vast distance between mankind and God through the fall was bridged in the Old Covenant for the Jewish nation.

The New Covenant God promised to establish brought the rest of mankind near and the Jews who believe even nearer than the Old Covenant could allow.

This New Covenant is found IN THE BLOOD of Jesus the Messiah. Lord of all and Savior of the world!

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Job Whisper Thunder

The Whisper of His Voice / The Thunder of His Power

The arguments defending individual positions continue. We begin with Job’s reply to Eliphaz. Then Bildad’s short response, followed again by Job’s long retort.

One argument of Job’s which is somewhat representative of all his arguments is that God cannot be found or approached so he can defend himself. He can see where God has been and what He has done, but cannot hear His voice which must be softer than a whisper!

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