Lesson 75
Review:
We count those
blessed who endured.
Notice who are the Blessed here!!
who endure. lit. the ones who endured hu`pomenw
- to remain under, to exhibit patient endurance under adverse
circumstances - i.e. the prophets
You have heard of the endurance of Job
endurance hu`pomonh - not just patience but patient endurance, has the emphasis of patience over the long
haul, having ability to stay under pressure
and have seen the
outcome of the Lord's dealings,
- the emphasis James makes is on the outcome - the final result
(telos = end,
goal or objective)
Job's
experience (big picture) is proof that the Lord is full of compassion and is
merciful.
Prin: The
same God who vindicated Job, who was abundant in compassion and mercy toward
him, will also sustain you in your time of need.
Summary
1. BEHOLD calls our attention to those who exhibit
this virtue as being worthy of our attention. (are
good teaching examples)
2. James is exhorting them to apply their
experiences to their own situation, to learn from them.
3. Those that endured refers
to those who persevered and successfully dealt with the testing faced in life.
4. They were examples of believers who were
faithful to the end not just those who passed a number of tests only to fold
before death.
5. This is the same term James used in 1:3-4 as a
necessary factor in the process of reaching spiritual maturity and as essential
to inheriting a crown of life in
6. Job is an especially good example of the
doctrinal principle in view - endurance under max pressure.
Job 13:5;
7. Job was
not perfect under his testing - made several protests to God.
- Job
7:11-16;
8. But Job endured his sufferings and even in
them remained loyal to God.
- Job
9. As an
encouragement to his readers James reminds them to look at the outcome of Job's
sufferings. (focus on the results)
10. The Lord indeed was full of compassion and
mercy for he delivered him from all his sufferings and provided him with even
greater blessing than he had before his loss.
2x Job 42:10-17
11. Job
became a stronger believer - his faith was refined which resulted from doctrine
applied under the pressure.
12. The outcome
of our undeserved suffering oriented to will be followed by an appropriate reward in time and at
the Judgment Seat of Christ.
13. We must avoid bitterness and reaction and
outright negative volition while in any test.
14. Job's case demonstrates the great compassion
and mercy of the Lord towards imperfect but positive believers.
15. His
dealings with positive believers in vindicating His word in their souls is the same today.
16. James is concerned that they do not react
like the cosmos to their tests and CHP's.
17. Some
have pursued the cosmos with all its delusions but God will restore and provide
them with greater grace when they make the course correction. (James 4:7-10)