No 11 Five Great Tests

What drew me to the Book of Job? Was it the story of a man’s deep suffering and his victory over it? No. Was it the intrigue of the interaction between the Lord and Satan in the opening chapters? No. Was it the beautiful and thought-provoking speech of God toward the end of the book? No. It was stars―the stars of the constellations in the heavens.

How could the first book of the Bible reveal so much about Orion, Arcturus, the Pleiades and the mysterious Mazzaroth of the heavens? My fascination with the stars mentioned in the book caused my fascination with the rest of the book to come alive with truth and meaning. Being an amateur “star-walker” caused me to walk through the other parts of the book. I will talk about these stars later on.

Disclaimer

My fascination with the Book of Job has prompted much corresponding study. And I am still a student. The more I read, the more I am inclined to describe myself as a marginal student. I have scribbled down multitudinous notes from many sources through the years. But I never envisioned undertaking such a venture as I have recently decided to do―write a blog on the book. This being true, it leaves me at a disadvantage for the task, as I have failed to properly document the good things I have read (as a good writer should). I have captured an author’s thought but not the bibliographical reference.

Disclaimer, Again

Today’s post is such an example. Years ago, I wrote down these Five Great Tests (as I shall give them). But I cannot properly acknowledge the source. So to some insightful and marvelous student of the Scriptures out there in Bible-land, I say, “Thank you,” and I give your outline at this point:

   Five Great Tests

The story of Job is one of the 5 great tests which God has employed to teach certain and special truths of salvation.

  #1 Adam’s Test

Adam failed his test and we see what provisions God has had to employ because of the Fall.

    

 #2 Abraham’s Test

The offering of his son Isaac. No one will ever be called to do that test again.

 #3 Job’s Test

No one will ever be called to do that test again. God called Job to a work that no one else has to do. It would be pointless to have a second Job test.

 #4 Jesus’s Test

His 40-day experience against Satan in the wilderness. No one will ever be called to go through that―no human could ever have endured it.

 #5 Our Test

The people who are living in the last days before Jesus comes back the Second Time will face the full onslaught against Satan. While our test is similar to Job’s it is different in this regard:

❶ Job never knew what was coming―what was going to happen.

❷ We know what is coming―what is going to happen.

The prophets have spelled it out for us in quite close detail.

Conclusion

And day by day the believer is working out before men and angels a sublime experiment, showing what the gospel can do for fallen human beings. (Ellen G. White, Acts of the Apostles, page 483).

The Lord Jesus is making experiments on human hearts through the exhibition of His mercy and abundant grace. He is effecting transformations so amazing that Satan, with all his triumphant boasting, with all his confederacy of evil united against God and the laws of His government, stands viewing them as a fortress impregnable to his sophistries and delusions. They are to him an incomprehensible mystery. The angels of God, seraphim and cherubim, the powers commissioned to cooperate with human agencies, look on with astonishment and joy, that fallen man, once children of wrath, are through the training of Christ developing characters after the divine similitude, to be sons and daughters of God, to act an important part in the occupations and pleasures of heaven (Ellen G. White, Testimonies to Ministers, page 18).

I want my character to fully be an exhibition of His marvelous mercy and grace. Don't you?

Please send questions or comments to Will Hardin at P O Box 24 Owenton KY 40359.

The “5” Image above is by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay