For a description of the (Y2) reading plan, see the “About” page.
2 Tim. 1
I can’t help but think of Job when I read about Paul here. Before his conversion, Paul in many ways ‘had it all’. He had power and position and was making quite a name for himself as a Pharisee. But he gave that all up to follow Jesus. Now he sits in prison, abandoned and deserted by many, with nothing left. Like Job, Paul served God “with a clear conscience” (from 2 Tim. 1:3). Yet he suffered. I actually think it’s fair to say that both men suffered because they served God. Remember how God pointed out Job’s faithfulness to the Accuser?
However, Paul had something that Job only longed for. Though Job had faith in God’s promise and provision for his righteousness, Paul had first-hand knowledge of God’s new covenant of grace through Jesus Christ. “He has saved us and called us to a holy life – not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 1:9-10a). As God’s faithful, we will suffer. But in all of the suffering and hardship, we have a hope that will never fail.
Job 28-29
What does Job long for? Have you ever felt that way? The Bible is full of imagery, symbolism, and prophecy. As Brock and Bodie Thoene say often in their A.D. Chronicles series, “Everything means something.” As I have been reading through Job this time around, I find myself looking at it from a completely different perspective than I ever have before. The result is that I am seeing a lot of that imagery, symbolism, and prophecy.
I don’t know if Job actually was all the things he stated in chapter 29. I do know, however, that Jesus was. Also, I know that nobody suffered more in their righteousness or sacrificed more than Jesus did. Not even Job. The New Testament authors make it very clear that to partake in Jesus’ life means that we partake in his suffering. For the first time, I am seeing that message in Job.