« Soyez donc patients, frères jusqu'à l'avènement du Seigneur. »
“Zo zijt dan lankmoedig, broeders, tot de toekomst des Heeren.”
“Be patient, then, brothers and
sisters, until the Lord's coming.”
(v 7)
You have heard of the patience of Job? (v 11).
If not, or to jog your memory, read Job chapter 19. He cries out words to the
effect of Jesus’ own dying words: ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’
(Matthew 27.46). His dearly beloved God has pursued him (Job 19.22), struck him
with His hand (Job 19.21), blocked his way (Job 19.8), drawn a net around him (Job
19.6), torn him down on every side (Job 19.10), stripped him of his honour (Job
19.9), alienated his family from him (Job 19.13), allowed his closest friends
to forget him (Job 19.14), in a word, uprooted his hope like a tree (Job 19.10)...
And yet, nonetheless, still, in the midst of
it all, he cries out all the louder: ‘I know that my redeemer lives, and that
in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him, with my own eyes—I, and
not another. How my heart yearns within me!’ (Job 19.25-27).
‘Amen, come Lord Jesus!’ (Revelation 22.20).
Oh dearly beloved Lord and Redeemer, You who are ‘all compassion’, come and
finally bring about the fulfilment of all Your precious promises and of every
genuine hope You have so graciously planted in us.
“You have heard of Job's perseverance
and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”
“Gij hebt de verdraagzaamheid van Job gehoord, en gij hebt het einde des
Heeren gezien, dat de Heere zeer barmhartig is en een Ontfermer.”
« Vous avez entendu parler de la patience de Job, et vous avez vu
la fin que le Seigneur lui accorda, car le Seigneur est plein de miséricorde et
de compassion. » (v.11)
(Louis Segond, Staten Vertaling, New
International Version)
James
Pitts
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