Wednesday | 01 July 2026

Job’s deliverance from offence

It is helpful to consider the experience of Job, his three friends, and the young man, Elihu. The nature of the conversation within this ‘presbytery’, which can equally occur in a household, was informed by the mystery of iniquity. Although Job and his friends did state some helpful principles that were drawn from truth, this discussion was based on their own causal reasoning. It exemplified the principle of ‘gainsaying’. The fruit of this conversation was relational impasse, weariness, and the multiplication of offences.

Notably, through this season of suffering, Job overcame the Devil. However, he was only able to do this because he met and received Christ as the King who addressed him with wrath and fiery indignation. For example, in response to Job’s assessments of his situation, ‘The LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: “Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me”.’ Job 38:1‑3.

Notably, the final word of the Lord’s discourse to Job, as the only One who could legitimately ‘gainsay’, concerned the great serpent, Leviathan. Christ revealed to Job the principle of the serpent on the rock and instructed him regarding how to overcome Satan. He directed Job to ‘remember the battle’ and to desist from engaging with the serpent according to the principles of the flesh. Job 41:8. The only way of overcoming Satan was to join the King in the fellowship of His overcoming through the cross. To this end, the Lord declared, ‘No‑one is so fierce that he would dare stir him up. Who then is able to stand against Me? Who has preceded Me, that I should pay him? Everything under heaven is Mine.’ Job 41:10‑11.

As Job responded to the initiative of Christ, the King‑Priest, he feared the Lord. He found repentance and faith, enabling him to know, and to believe, the true nature of God’s love. 1Jn 4:16. Job 42:3‑6.