“The Book of Job” – William Blake
“And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.” Job 1:5
Here in this verse in Job chapter 1 we see the kinds of things that caused the Lord to describe him as “a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil (1:8).” Verse 4 tells us that Job’s children are spending their time eating and drinking but Job, picturing our mediator and high priest Jesus Christ, “sanctified them.” He rose up early in the morning to pray and offer sacrifices on behalf of every one of his ten children.
Many times throughout the Bible we are shown or told of people rising up early as a sign of their sincerity and commitment to their cause. “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.” Proverbs 8:17 says.
God also defended his own faithfulness and integrity throughout the book of Jeremiah by causing his prophets to rise up early to prophesy.
“Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them...” Jeremiah 7:25
Jesus himself rose up early on the third day to reconcile us all to God. “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” – Romans 8:33-34.
Back to Job: in verse 5 Job pictures what Jesus is doing for believers on a daily basis. Job makes prayers and sacrifices for his children “continually” the verse says as his children may have sins and curses in their heart even if they aren’t outwardly misbehaving. The law of God covers the things of the heart as much as it does our actions, because every sinful deed begins in our heart.
The Bible tells us that mankind is not intrinsically good. Even Job, a perfect and upright man, is not able to spare his children the moment God removes his hedge of protection. Parents can and should pray for their children every day, but there comes a time when we must all seek after God of our own free will. We cannot leverage our father’s walk with God to get into heaven.
6 They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;
7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother; nor give to God a ransom for him:
8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever…)
- Psalm 49
Your soul is too precious to God to be purchased with filthy lucre or with the prayers of even the most loving and righteous relative. Job is symbolizing the love of God for us in an earthly ensample. Hebrews 7 says, “But this man [speaking of Jesus Christ], because he continueth forever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (7:23-25)
And unlike Job or any human priest under the Levitical system in the Old Testament, Jesus has no sin of his own to atone for continuously before he can make intercession for his flock as Job has to do on a continual basis for his children.
“For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.” Hebrews 7:26-27
Amen.
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