MAGNIFY ~ Day 36

~ Day Thirty-Six ~

MAGNIFY

No Other Name

The Book of Job ~ Chapter Thirty-Six

"Remember to magnify His work,

of which men have sung.

Everyone has seen it; man looks on it from afar.

Behold God is great, and we do not know Him;

nor can the number of His years be discovered."

(Job 36:24-26)

MORNING MEDITATION

Magnify

As Elihu was wrapping up his speech he wanted Job to capture a renewed vision of the glory and greatness of God. Rather than allow his afflictions to cause him to lose hope and lose sight of God, Elihu suggested that Job's sufferings were actually the vehicle God was using to bring him to a new place of discovery of God's power. "Behold, God is exalted by His power; who teaches like Him? Who has assigned Him His way, or who has said, 'You have done wrong?" (v. 22, 23). The Lord removed every obstacle out of the way in Job's life, in order that He might display the greatness of His power in a way that Job could never have expected. Elihu urges Job, and all of us, to "Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will accomplish for you today!" (Exodus 14:13a).

"But we see Jesus,

who was made a little lower than the angels,

for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor,

that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone."

(Hebrews 2:9)

In the final days leading up His death on the Cross, the Lord provided the people a final warning to heed the Light while it was still shining. Judgment was coming upon the nation and He was giving them an opportunity to repent and be saved! [Feast upon: John 12:23-36] "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself" (vv. 32). The people did not understand why Jesus was talking about death; after all, the scriptures taught that the Messiah would live forever. "The LORD has sworn and will not relent, "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" (Psalm 110:4). They did not understand that His death would not signal defeat, but rather victory! "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:9). The door was closing on the kingdom of Satan and his wicked world systems and a new way was being opened for mankind to know the truth and find freedom and life. "Therefore, as through one mans offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous" (Romans 5:18, 19). How marvelous and wonderful the mighty acts of God! Jesus' exaltation on the Cross provided mankind the way to eternal life, and led to His glorification! By our humble submission by faith to the message of the Cross we are rescued from death and receive eternal life. "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1 Corinthians 1:18). The Jews were looking for a political Messiah who could lead them with power into great glory, so the weakness of the cross was a stumbling block for them. They did not have eyes to see that the Cross was God's instrument of power and that His message through it is "the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16). Just as the Father spoke to the Lord Jesus as He agonized in His final days leading up to the Cross (John 12:28), so also we will see the Lord providing a word of assurance to His servant Job in the final chapters of Job to prepare him for the greater glory to come. Let us remember that Satan is a defeated enemy as we lift up a prayer of confident, triumphant praise to our merciful, kind, and benevolent King for the glory He has prepared for us when our days of trial and suffering are complete and we have brought honor and glory to His name in humble submission to His will. Let us keep our ears open to listen as He speaks to us through His Word, and our eyes open to see the mighty ways He is working in our day! "Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together" (Psalm 34:3).

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,

even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,

that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world,

but that the world through Him might be saved."

(John 3:14-17)

AFTERNOON DEVOTION

Read: Job Chapter Thirty-Six

"Remember to magnify His work,

of which men have sung."

(Job 36:24)

In his final speech, Elihu looks up and magnifies the Lord. It took him awhile to get there, but after a very long speech he finally arrived at the heart of the matter: the greatness of God! With his closing words, Elihu hoped to help Job refocus on what was truly important, so that he might gain understanding of God's purposes for mankind and to prepare him for the moment when the Lord would speak to Job Himself. "Behold, God is mighty, but despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding" (v. 5). Elihu wanted Job to understand that the Lord wasn't ignoring His servant; He was actually trying to teach him something through his affliction and suffering. "He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous; but they are on the throne with kings, for He has seated them forever, and they are exalted" (v. 7). The Lord had His eyes on Job all along, and He was working to transform His servant so that he would be more prepared and better able to receive the great things He had in store when He eventually transformed his circumstances. All of this was dependent on Job's response. Would He receive God's message humbly? Or would he be like the hypocrites who refuse to cry out to God for help? "But the hypocrites in heart store up wrath; they do not cry for help when He binds them" (v. 13). No matter how much pressure the Lord applies, the heart of the godless person grows colder and more bitter towards God. Elihu warned Job not to follow their ways, but to repent and turn to the Lord. The Lord graciously restores those who humbly submit to His hand of discipline. "Indeed He would have brought you out of dire distress, into a broad place where there is no restraint; and what is set on your table would be full of richness" (v. 16). A bountiful banqueting table laden with the richest of fare was waiting in the wings for His servant, if only he would heed the voice of the Lord in the midst of his afflictions and trust Him and repent. "Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live" (Isaiah 55:2b, 3a). Instead of faulting God for His works, Elihu exhorted Job to magnify the Sovereign Lord for the wonder of His ways and His merciful acts toward all mankind. "Remember to magnify His work, of which men have sung. Everyone has seen it; man looks on it from afar. Behold, God is great, and we do not know Him; nor can the number of His years be discovered" (vv. 24-26). May we gain a heart of wisdom and receive this exhortation to praise the greatness of our God in the midst of our own trials and suffering as we trust Him to transform us into a more noble vessel that He can use to pour the riches of His grace upon this spiritually dry and thirsty world. We prove that we are learning the lessons the Lord has for us in the school of affliction, when our petitions and pleadings are transformed to prayers of thanksgiving and praise. "Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together" (Psalm 34:3).

"Blessed is she who believed,

for there will be a fulfillment of those things

which were told her from the Lord."

And Mary said:

"My soul magnifies the Lord,

and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;

for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.

For He who is mighty has alone done great things for me,

and holy is His name.

And His mercy is on those who fear Him

from generation to generation."