Welcome to the Steemit 30-day Bible Literacy Challenge! The goal here is to improve the number of Bible verses we have memorized. If you are new to the challenge, here are the rules:
Today marks Day 3 for me. I chose Job 42:8 because it is so full of insight into how we ought to approach God and each other.
The story of Job may be the oldest written story in the Bible, but its theme of evil and suffering touches every generation in every corner of the globe that has ever existed.
At the beginning of the story, Job is described as a very wealthy and blameless man who frequently offered sacrifices to God and prayed for his family. Here we see the picture of an honorable man, blessed by God.
Yet Job was also a good man who was about to be tested before Satan and God.
As the testing unfolds, Job loses everything and his friends come over to discuss the matter and to offer advice. At some point in our lives we will be in a situation similar to this. We, or someone we know, or maybe even just a contact on social media may be faced with a similar story. How should we respond?
Job 42:8
This verse reminds us to be mindful of our words when we speak about God. We must be mindful not to offer incorrect "biblical" advice to our friends and family, co-workers, and internet followers. When we do so, we submit ourselves to God's judgment, just as Job's friends had done.
This verse also reminds us that sin costs something. It costs life. Job's friends had spoken things about God which were untrue, and they were about to face God's wrath of judgment for their error.
We see here that God accepted Job as an intercessor in this instance, pointing the entire verse towards Christ.
Have you ever felt a tugging at your heart to pray for someone? That's God, inviting you into His presence, to pray for someone else. That's powerful! It's also an humbling experience, one that requires us to be dedicated to God.
This is the type of dedication taught by the practice of a whole burnt offering. In an offering such as described in this verse, the entire animal is consumed by the fire. This symbolizes an entire sacrifice of ourselves to God. That's the kind of dedication God requires of us.
Jesus Christ, who sacrificed His own blood, completely fulfilled the role of a perfect sacrifice and is now our mediator between God and us. We no longer offer blood sacrifices, because that debt has been paid in full through Him.
In closing, I want to point out an additional verse that goes along with Job 42:8. In James 5:16 we read:
"Confess your sins to each another, and pray for each another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."
When we reach out to others, let us always be diligent to speak rightly about God. May God bless you all!
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