Be Patient: Part 3 - James 5:10-11

Be Patient: Part 3 - James 5:10-11
Written by LaRosa Johnson
Tuesday, November 04, 2008

For those believers who are enduring oppression and persecution at the hands of others, James' words of encouragement are to be patient. In previous verses, we have seen the imperative to be patient, including a farming example to solidify the thought in the minds of his readers. He even encouraged them to remain steadfast in their walk, realizing that the coming of the Lord is near. Today, James goes back to his focus on being patient, this time giving real life examples of those who remained patient while facing difficult circumstances. If hearts and minds are ready for the study of the Word, let's begin by reading our passage for today.

Quote :

James 5:10-11 (NASB) - 10As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.

After a brief aside on the character that should be coupled with patience, James returns to the issue at hand, which is having patience in the midst of trials. He has already given them reasons why they need to be patient, but now he brings in some added support by mentioning that the prophets had to endure such similar treatment, if not worse. These prophets were men who spoke on behalf of the Lord and their message wasn't always a pleasant one, which often resulted in backlash from the ones to whom the message was delivered. With this in view, we can find many places in Scripture where the treatment of the prophets is spoken of, including: 2 Chronicles 36:16; Jeremiah 2:30; Matthew 5:11, 12; 23:34-37; Luke 6:23; Acts 7:52; 1 Thessalonians 2:14, 15; and Hebrews 11:32-38. A glimpse at these passages serve as proof that the prophets endured countless trials, even to the point of their death at times, because they spoke in the name of the Lord. A full treatment of this passage would include a look at each of the Old Testament prophets, but space and brevity does not allow for that here. The primary point to take away from their example, though, is that they remained patient in the midst of suffering, while constantly leaning on the Lord. They didn't try to take matters into their own hands, but they simply did as the Lord had told them to, even if it cost their life. A look at the life of each prophet is strongly encouraged as it will serve to provide greater context to the words of James (of whom his readers were already familiar with the prophets), as well as bless and encourage you.

Moving on, we see that those who endure and counted as blessed. That is to say that perseverance has its reward. To illustrate this, James used the example of Job. This is another text that could be discussed at length, but space does not allow (although I do recommend reading the book in full). As a brief summary of Job, God allowed for him to be tested by Satan with Satan hoping that he would reject God as a result of his affliction. Throughout the narrative, we find that Job did not turn away from God, but persevered, knowing that the Lord was still with him even in the midst of his circumstances. Once his period of testing was over, God repaid Job for all that he had lost as a result of the test, even to the point of multiplying it. The point of the narrative is not that we will receive as Job did; instead, we are to take our cue in his endurance, never giving up. In regard to Job, it's worth noting that James does not say that Job was patient, but instead spoke of his steadfastness. Why is that? Primarily because Job was indeed one who endured in the face of affliction, but he was surely not patient with God while in his testing, constantly questioning and asking God why the affliction was upon him.

There is much to be said, both about the prophets and Job, but the simple fact is that these are faithful men of God who endured in the face of opposition. It didn't matter what came their way because they were willing to face it and continue trusting in God. We can face these situations because we know the end result will be in our favor (1 Peter 3:14). What's more, as the end of our passage states, God is merciful and full of compassion. This is a statement that is repeated constantly throughout Scripture, and it is one that carries with it a wealth of truth. Just as He is soon to return and exact vengeance upon the wicked, we also can have peace knowing that God is with us while we are going through our trials, and He is exhibiting both mercy and compassion while doing so. He does this by not putting us through more than we can bear (1 Cor. 10:13) and by giving us the strength to endure in our weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). As believers, we should find a great deal of comfort in that, knowing all that we know. When put in their proper perspective, we realize that it is all for His maximum glorification.

When faced with situations similar to what these believers were facing or worse, we should remember the example of the prophets and Job. They continued to walk with the Lord and live worthy of their calling, even when the going got tough and it would've been so much easier to fight back or call it quits. Patience and perseverance are key to the Christian way of life and lessons that we should learn from as often as they may come our way. In the end, we know that Christ will be glorified and His work will be done. This is what James wanted his readers to walk away with, knowing that they were facing they were being abused & oppressed by the wicked and fellow believers. Let us not forget that all Scripture should serve as an example for us (1 Cor. 10:6a), so let's learn from them and walk like we're supposed to.

James doesn't end there, though, as he has one final word of encouragement for these oppressed believers. We will see that next time when we study verse 12 and then move into the final portions of this chapter. Until then, remain patient and steadfast, no matter what it is that you're facing!

devotion courtesy of Trailblazin Ministries
http://www.trailblazinministries.com/devotions/james082.php