I like going into a book with low expectations – because then when it far exceeds what you think – you are wowed and pleasantly surprised.
I was able to both read/look at the pictures and listen to the CD (of John Piper reading) of The Misery of Job and the Mercy of God yesterday – at a quiet serene lake-front house after a very relaxing day. Something about books and lakes – could stay there for.ev.er.
Anyway, back to the book at hand.
Pictures: compelling – makes the story/poem come alive
Reading: if you like listening to Piper’s sermons – you will love this as he reads one of his poems.
Grace Factor: I don’t think I ever really noticed Job as a type of Christ in the OT. What an amazing Gospel- picture. At the end of each book, Piper put in a section about Grace. The Gospel. Jesus in the OT. Thank you Pastor John for pointing that out to us.
“Andnow come, broken, to the cross,
Where Christ embraced all human loss,
And let us bow before the throne
Of God, who gives and takes his own,
And promises – whatever toll
He takes – to satisfy our soul.
Come, learn the lesson of the rod:
The treasure that we have in God.
He is not poor nor much enticed
Who loses everything but Christ.” (pg 26)
Thoughts:
1. Job believed in the plan of God and how it was already made (past tense). “I yield to what you have decreed.” (p 18)
2. Love James 5:11
3. The reading: poetry (not a great big fan) but hearing him read it and the rightly placed words and hearing each part of the words read succinctly. Good stuff. Made it more pointed.
In my top 5 Piper books of all time!