Peter, Job, and Judas

Peter, Job, and Judas

“Look, I go forward, but He is not there, And backward, but I cannot perceive Him; 9 When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him; When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him. 10 But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. 11 My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside. 12 I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth More than my necessary food.”

This excerpt from Job 23 parallels the path we all walk at one time or another. Consider what we know about Job’s story: Job was under attack from Satan and didn’t know it. All Job saw was God. He saw all his life through the lens of God’s sovereignty. He completely missed that Satan was the source of his problems. Granted, God allowed it, but He was not the source.

We have all been through trials and testing. We all perhaps know what it’s like to wake up in the middle of the night and the first thought raging through my mind is, “What is going on?” “What have we done that is so terrible?” “Why has God has removed His favor from my life?” “Where is my sin?” And then the thoughts spiral into that dark place none of us should go.

God is not the kind of Person to say, “You are so bad and have so much sin I won’t bless you. But I’m not going to tell you what it is. Figure it out yourself.”

No, He is not like that at all. And we all know it. He died for us then gave us His very own Holy Spirit. We are His beloved purchase possession. He gave His very best for us. Why would He treat us so horribly now? None of us would say that we believed it outright...but that is where our minds go in that dark place nonetheless. 

I have been thinking about Peter lately. Peter verses Judas really. Both betrayed Jesus. In Peter’s case it was denial. Peter likely was acting out of self-preservation; Judas’ betrayal was deliberate and full-hearted. Both felt bad afterwards. Both had remorse. But that is where the similarities end. We know Judas threw the money he’d received back at those who’d paid him then hanged himself, while Peter went out and wept bitterly. This is where we’ll leave Judas and focus on Peter.

Can you imagine the shock and regret when the third rooster crowed? Peter was a close friend of Jesus. He was one of the three who Jesus took into His inner circle. Peter experienced and saw things the others (except James and John) didn’t. Now Peter was in crisis. His Lord was dead and he has betrayed Him; denied Him when He needed him most. The echo, “Can you not watch with Me even one hour?” probably rang as a continuous recording day after day; hour upon hour; minute by minute.

When the women came to Jesus’ tomb they found and angel sitting inside next to where Jesus had lain. After informing them that Jesus was risen the angel says, “But go, tell His disciples and Peter...” The angel singles out Peter. Why?

Jesus reveals Himself to Mary, (Peter somewhere), the two on Emmaus Road, the 11, and to 500. We know Peter saw Jesus because the men on the Emmaus Road and Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15, both reported it. However no record of what, if anything, was said.

The first recorded conversation of Peter and Jesus is on the shore after the disciples decided to go fishing. Peter jumps in the water, swimming to Jesus. When Peter talks with Jesus, Jesus doesn’t even bring up the betrayal. No hint at “repent or else…” Jesus wasn’t waiting to lay it out for Peter at just how bad he really was. No, Jesus reaffirms Peter’s love for Him and propels him into ministry.

Bringing Job 23 back into the picture… As New Covenant believers we have the indwelling Holy Spirit whom Job did not. We also have the revelation of the scriptures. But, like Job (and Peter), we too encounter the enemy. Remember Satan asked Jesus’ permission to sift Peter. Sift means: by inward agitation to try one’s faith to the verge of overthrow.

That is exactly what Peter and Job went through. We too may be in that exact place. Maybe we even failed…just like Peter did. But know Jesus isn’t leaning forward from His Throne just waiting to lay the big “Figured it out yourself” or “Repent or else…” on us. No, that is not our God! God is specific about sin. And He is cooking us a meal on the beach waiting for us. Waiting to reaffirm who we are—lovers of God first and foremost. And then to also propel us into what is next.

I exhort you, dear reader, to trust Him whether or not you have failed Him. Wherever you are on your path—trust Him with all your energy and strength. . 

Is this where you are?

God didn’t bring you here to leave you or to reprimand you. He brought you here to make you better. 

When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.