The Family Bible Journey Podcast

Job defend himself against the insults of his friends by insisting he had the same intelligence as they. He then affirmed the wisdom of creation, which recognizes the wisdom of God even when men do not. As we continue to reflect on the conversation between Job and his friends, we are given opportunity to examine ourselves and consider where our hopes lie.

Zophar preaches the wisdom of this world when Job is suffering. He blames Job for what he is going through instead of lifting his friend up in a spirit of mercy. In this chapter we get to challenge the "wisdom" of the prosperity gospel that millions are seduced by even today.

These three characters warn us to be true to God in all things. Ananias and Saphira lost their lives for misrepresenting the extent of their generosity. Gamaliel was a priest who warned the Council about the dangers of opposing God and His purposes. Both stories give us pause to make sure we are honest with ourselves and God about our motivations for the choices we make.

Job defend his righteous cause by reflecting on the immutable and unfathomable wisdom of God, as it is displayed in creation. He appeals to God, pleading for an intercessor, a mediator, a savior who could plead his case before the Almighty. Job longed for the Savior we know. In Jesus, we know that we have the advocate that Job so desperately wanted.

Bildad suggests that Job's children perished for their sin, and that if Job were righteous, he would not suffer as he did. Here we are challenged with half-truths about God and earthly justice. On this side of eternity there is much sin and suffering. Not until we are in the Lord's presence will justice have her day.

The religious authorities were keen to treat the disciples as they had Jesus, by killing them. But the crowd was in awe of the men who had healed a man they all knew to be crippled since birth. The authorities threatened to mistreat them, but the disciples were undeterred. They couldn't withhold the good news of God's redeeming power in Jesus.

Job suffers by day and experiences nightmares during broken sleep. We reflect on the difficulty of sleepless nights and nightmares, experienced by many when they are depressed, anxious, or under stress. Where do you turn when you can't run from your distress?

Eliphaz is the first of Job's friends to speak, and in his opening rant, indicts Job for his suffering. The basic message of chapter four is that God protects the innocent. Chapter five suggests that evil purposes are thwarted by God. While both would be nice, neither is true in this life, so we hear in the words of Eliphaz, earthly wishes mixed with godly wisdom.

An undeniable miracle, the healing of a man who had been begging forty years at the Beautiful Gate, gave Peter and John platform to preach even to the religious authorities. They spoke words of restoration and refreshment in Christ, available even to those who had sent Jesus to His death.

Job's suffering is so great that he wishes he hadn't been born. Despite his wealth and righteousness, he lost everything. Given his terrible lot, we do well to set our hopes and minds on things above, where moth and rust do not destroy.

After Job loses his wealth and children in chapter one, he loses His wife and grows incurable sores in chapter two. He is now suffering in every conceivable way. In the depths of his despair, Job is joined by three friends who come to comfort him.

At Pentecost, the confusion caused at the Tower of Babel is reversed. The Holy Spirit descends to bring clarity and unity to the Church that is born of all tribes and languages. Here we see a glimmer of hope for humanity as longstanding divisions are overcome in Christ.

The book of Job begins with a righteous man losing everything, including his children, in a bet between God and satan. In the coming chapters, we will join Job in his suffering, learning from him the nature of faith and life. This world is not kind, and we do well to learn from Job's faithful example.

The enemies of the Jews fought for vengeance and greed, while the Jewish people fought for their families and lives. No wonder the Jews fared much better in this battle than their adversaries. When, not if we must fight, it's good to know who you are fighting for. If your cause is worth dying for, you are prepared to fight. If not, you may lose everything for nothing.

Jesus blessed His disciples before His Ascension. The disciples, a few hundred in number, stay in Jerusalem, waiting for the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. While they don't yet understand what this all means, they wait in faith, knowing Jesus has not abandoned them, and has promised to send them His Spirit.

Mordecai is given Haman's house, position, and an opportunity to save his people. Even though a royal decree can't be revoked, a new one can be written. The new decree, authored by Esther and Mordecai, allowed the Jews to defend and avenge themselves on their enemies. Thus, God turned their promised demise into their deliverance.

After Job loses his wealth and children in chapter one, he loses His wife and grows incurable sores in chapter two. He is now suffering in every conceivable way. In the depths of his despair, Job is joined by three friends who come to comfort him.

Haman receives his due as Esther presses her king for mercy. The king can't believe his second in command was so cruel, and when he comes to confront Haman, it appears Haman is attacking Esther! Incensed, the king orders Haman hung on the gallows prepared for Mordecai. An unexpected conclusing to Esther's dinner party.

Jesus tells Peter to love HIM by tending, feeding, and caring for His flock. Jesus doesn't ask us to build great monuments or buildings for Him. All He asks us is to love Him by loving others and by pointing them to Jesus.

How often do you feel forgotten? Mordecai had saved the king's life and received no honor. Esther was preoccupied with being queen to pay him much attention. Yet, in this chapter, the king remembers Mordecai's service and honors him above Haman. Here we see God's sense of humor and are encouraged when it feels like we have been forgotten.

Esther is unsure of her king's love and affection when Mordecai asks her to interceed on behalf of their people. Instead of going to the king and insisting he make right the terrible wrong done to her people because she is his wife, she wisely begins to win him over by love. Lavish feasts, prepared by her maidens, give her opportunity to assure herself of the king's love, so that when she makes her urgent request, he does so in love, instead of obligation.

This seemingly minor miracle is a gentle gesture that puts the disciples on a course that will become the greatest movement in all of human history. We take courage and comfort from these men. Just as God used them to change the world, He uses us to alter the earthly lives and eternal destiny of those we touch with His love.

Mordecai pleads with Esther to intervene on behalf of her people, who are faced with extermination at the hands of Haman. She is torn. She wants to help, but isn't feeling the love of the king, and could experience the same fate as Vashti if she overplays her hand. By risking her life and position to address the king, she is a type of Christ, and wisely seeks the king's favor before making her entreaty.

Esther's adoptive father Mordecai earns the wrath of Haman, the second in command of Persia because he refused to bow before anyone besides God or king. Haman's anger led to a murderous, then genocidal hatred for Mordecai and all the Jews. In this episode we learn that this conflict was over 1,000 years in the making.

Jesus establishes His disciples in the faith by appearing to them. When He appeared, He gave them His Holy Spirit and a new charge-to go and proclaim the forgiveness of sins to all people. Ever since this great commissioning, we properly understand that the Church is in the forgiveness business.

Queen Esther stands out from the crowd, not only because she is physically attractive, but also because of her wisdom and virtue. Loved as the only daughter of Mordecai, she knew how to love, because he had loved her dearly. In her rise to prominence, we are encouraged to cultivate the inner beauty that made her stand above the rest.

Esther begins not with Queen Esther, but rather Quenn Vashti. When Vashti refused a royal summons from her husband, she caused an outrage in the kingdom that led to her exile. Unwittingly she set the stage for a new queen to arise.

We marvel at the empty tomb with Mary, Peter and John. Even though they did not understand what was happening, they recognized that life would never be the same. We rejoice with them in the hope of our own resurrection, made possible by Jesus and His Easter victory over death.

Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem after a lengthy absence, only to find that many of his enemies, and the enemies of God's purposes, were prospering in Jerusalem. He rectified the situation, having been given a chance to preserve his legacy. Nehemiah ends with a prayer that God would remember the good he had faithfully done, and He does! This gives us great hope and encouragement when we are fearful that our work will not persevere as we had hoped.

We thank God for faithful leaders like Ezra and Nehemiah in this passage. Because God had prospered the work of their hands, and they did not shrink from executing their task, all in and around Jerusalem were blessed.

In Jesus's final moments, we see Him caring for and providing for His mother and beloved disciple. We see many prophecies fulfilled explicitly in these moments. We marvel at the depth of His love and all He willingly endured to finish the work of our salvation.

God's people wept and lamented their polight as Ezra read God's law. He reponded by encouraging them to focus on God's love and mercy, because God's love has overcome their generational beligerance and unbelief. We too can take courage in God's mercy because His love overcomes all.

When Ezra read from the book of God's law, upon the completion of the city walls, the people mourned in reprentence. Hearing what God expected from HIs people, they knew they fell woefully short of God's standard. Yet, Ezra told them to rejoice, because God's mercy and love far outweigh His wrath. We join with them in both mournful repentence, and great joy as we see all of our sins forgiven in Christ Jesus.

Jesus was crowned with thorns and shame, so that when our earthly life ends, we may be crowned in glory. For us He suffered. For us He died. So that in Him, we may find salvation for our guilty souls.

Mighty and powerful enemies oppposed Nehemiah and the rebuiding of Jerusalem's wall. They plotted, lied, and conspired to kill him. But Nehemiah shows us the strength of resolve, by calling out falsehood and continuing to do the work God had sent him to do.

Nehemiah shows how important it is to lead by example. Poor leaders act like bosses, especting others to cater to their whims because of position or power. True leaders, like Nehemiah, elevate others by showing a better way, by living out the ideals they profess and doing what others refuse to do.

satan has been robbing God's people of love, life, and every good thing. So it is fitting when Jesus, as the Son of God, is robbed of His life by the robber the crowd chose over Him.

In the face of powerful opposition, Nehemiah rallies the people reminding them that they are fighting not for themselves, but for their families and for their God. This story gives us great encouragement when we are opposed by powerful foes. When opposed, it is good for us to remember why it is that we do what God has encouraged us to do as his people.

The people of Israel begin to rebuild the city walls around Jerusalem. Sadly, some of the nobles are too noble for the noble task of serving the Lord by manual labor. But a group of young women is exalted, who gladly lifted their shovels and spades to build the wall as God had encouraged them. Here we learn an important lesson lessons about leadership and what it means to actually get work done. We are encouraged by this explicit example of faithful women serving the Lord.

Jesus was betrayed because He was true to His mission, even if it meant His death. When we are betrayed by those we love, we have an ever-faithful friend in Jesus.

Nehemiah is a faithful leader of the Lord's people who served as cupbearer to King Artaxerxes of Persia. He came to Jerusalem as a special envoy sent by the king to aid the exiles whose work of rebuilding the walls had come to a standstill. Nehemiah shows us how important it is to be prayerfully prepared for challenges that arise, as we seek to serve the Lord and his people.

When Ezra returns to Jerusalem, he sees that many of the people, including many of the leaders and priests of Israel had intermarried with the people of the land. He tore his robes, his hair and beard out of his head, as a mournful display of distress because it was this very sin that had earlier led God's people away from the Lord and into exile. We are confronted with difficult realities as there is mass divorce in this chapter. How do we who know that divorce is not God's will for marriage reconcile these difficult chapters? By recognizing that it isn't God, who is the author of divorce. Rather, every time faith is broken, families and relationships are broken, and all suffer the consequences of sin.

As Jesus prays for His disciples before He is taken from them, we consider a divine mystery. Jesus is not God's Plan B, merely a rescue mission. No, Jesus was God's Plan A for humanity. He took on human flesh, so that in Him we may know God as Father, Spirit and Brother! Because He is with us and for us, we rejoice in our unity with God and one another.

We learn important lessons from Ezra as he returns to Jerusalem. He prayerfully begins his journey in faith, while also properly preparing the people for what could have been a very dangerous trip. The Lord protected them and prosper them on their way.

In this chapter, Ezra is sent as a scribe, teacher and lawyer to instruct the people in the ways of the Lord. Their great Temple will amount to nothing if the people do not follow the Lord with their whole heart.

This world is full of sin and suffering. We suffer even when we try to do good by those around us. Because the world is not fair or just, it is good for us, when we suffer for doing good, to recognize that Jesus has overcome the world.

In this episode, the people of God appeal to King Darius, seeking his blessing for the rebuilding of the temple. By God's grace, their mighty enemies become great advocates. Not only are these enemies turned into advocates, but tremendous penalties, even capital punishment, is threatened against those who would dare oppose the Lord and his purposes. Here we are encouraged to go forth and faith, even in the face of powerful enemies, knowing that God blesses us when we do.

Here we read of two faithful prophets, Haggai and Zachariah, who rose to the challenge when the building of the temple had been halted by enemies. They did not ask for permission, but rather continued building while appealing to the king to justify their cause. From these faithful saints we learn to persevere and to go forward in faith when we are seeking and doing the Lord's will and work.

Jesus continues to build-up His disciples in the work of His Holy Spirit. In the coming days, months and years, they would rely on the Holy Spirit as their Comforter and Guide. Today, regardless of your flavor of Christianity, the Holy Spirit is the One who keeps you connected to the Father through the Son.

In this chapter, mighty and well politically connected enemies of the Jewish exiles emerge to thwart, the rebuilding of the temple. While these enemies are successful in delaying the building of the temple for some years, God's purposes will not be forever thwarted by evil. Here we learn the difficulties faced by the faithful, and are encouraged in our own journey to remain and prove faithful, even when powerful enemies arise against us.