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Day 234: Why Does Suffering Exist?

CityLight Church’s One Year Bible Reading Plan
Monday, August 22nd, 2016
Job 4:1-7:21
1 Corinthians 14:18-40
Psalm 37:30-40
Proverbs 21:27
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Commentary from Pastor Michael White:

Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. – Job 5:17

Job’s friends incorrectly attributed Job’s suffering to God. God was not the source of Job’s calamity; Satan was. We see this clearly in Job 1:9-12, as Satan asks for Job:

And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” – Job 1:12

Under the Old Covenant, there was no mediator between Satan and God; so when Satan asked for Job, God gave him up. But under our New Covenant with God through Jesus Christ, we have a Mediator! Whenever Satan accuses us in front of God, Jesus is now seated at the right hand of the Father to put His hand up and say, “I don’t think so! (S)He’s with me!”

We see the New Testament equivalent of Satan asking for Job in Luke 22, as Satan asks for Peter:

And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you”… – Lk 22:31-32a

But this time the outcome was different because Jesus was involved. With Jesus as his Mediator, Peter was protected. Satan wanted to attack Peter, the same way he attacked Job, but Jesus prayed for him!

Jesus is your Protector; not your Destroyer. Whenever Satan asks to attack you, Jesus says no! Faulty New Testament theology erupts from the assumption that God still punishes us when we sin. Jesus Christ received the punishment we deserve, so that we would no longer have to endure it.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for being so good to me! Thank You for protecting me at all times. I know You protect me: every step of the way, and every step I take, in Jesus’ name!

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See commentary from this day in 2014: http://intelligentcharismatic.com/day-234-shhhhhh/

See commentary from this day in 2015: http://intelligentcharismatic.com/day-234-avoiding-faulty-thinking/

© Michael D. White, 2016. All rights reserved.

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