Monday, December 15, 2008

Prosperity Gospel

Job 19

I have always had a bit of a hard time accepting what is commonly known as the prosperity Gospel. It seems to suggest that Jesus is not only the pathway to salvation but also riches. Its funny to me that this is usually purported by leaders suggesting that the way to tap into God's riches is to send them or their ministry money and then you will unlock God's riches in your life.

My greatest difficulty is the idea that if you are not rich then somehow you are not in God's blessing.

So here we have a record of Job's calamity as we know, not because of sin, but because his life was exemplary. Yes he was very rich and God was pleased with him. Now everything had been taken away. God's opinion of him had not changed. But would Job still feel the same about God and remain faithful.

Job had: (Job 19 v 9 - 20)

  • Lost his reputation
  • Lost his self respect
  • Lost his possessions
  • Lost all hope
  • Lost his friends
  • Lost his relatives
  • Lost his servants
  • Lost his butler
  • Lost his family
  • Lost all respect
  • Lost the love of his wife
  • Lost his health
Very prosperous! yet from the pit of despair he records what probably are his most famous words, dragged from from the very depths of his dark soul.

(v 23 - 26) Oh, that my words were recorded, that they were written on a scroll, that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead, or engraved in rock forever!

I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

A desperate cry of faith that probably can only be fully understood from the pit of loneliness and abject despair that Job was feeling.

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