Worldview, Disaster and Hope

Did it take Job's sufferings for him to arrive at these conclusions and to hold a worldview such as expressed in this passage? Perhaps. Life does come with some gruelling lessons, given under the harshest of conditions, and often dictated from the domes of personal disaster.

But on the other hand, Job may have had these views before (or some of these views at the very least), and just sought to apply them to his situation - to make sense of it all.  After each trial though new lessons should be learned, confirmations should take place, and corrections made.  We should normally come out stronger with a more clearly defined worldview.  This definitely seems to be happening to Job.

 www.jeremynoeljohnson.com/philosophy/how-is

Whatever Job's situation may have been, it seems clear that to avoid being driven to chronic depression and insanity in this life we need the protection of a wholesome worldview - whether we arrive at it before or after tragedy strikes. Job's worldview provided for him a definition for humanity (numbered days and full of suffering in this present life); for God (Creator of life and judge of all); and for death (not the end, but a safe-house for the believer) - all of which left him with jubilant hope.

Do we today enjoy this everlasting hope – even amidst the howling taunts of condemning friends, the cascading towers of financial security, and the stinging lashes of personal pain and loss of loved ones? Enjoy this wonderful rendition from the Oregon Adventist Men's Chorus as we renew our hope in the coming of our Lord. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgG9pIezoTc.

This reading is based on Job 14  To read and/or listen to this chapter and to read other related blogs, please click here.