James 5:7-12

Context

Get along with each other, don't judge each other (James 4:11-12)

Don't make plans for profit without considering God's will (James 4:13-17)

The exploitive rich will reap judgment (James 5:1-6)

THEREFORE

Likely James' audience is largely the "righteous man" "condemned and put to death" by those with wealth and power (5:6).

Questions/Issues

Does the farmer have more confidence in his crop coming in than I do in the coming of the Lord? Most likely, he sees it happen nearly every year.

The farmer was patient for a season, we are patient for a lifetime? Millennia?

Consider Job. Patient endurance.

But is what Job got worth it? Another family doesn't replace the old, do new riches replace the sense of injustice in the old? Is it really possible for future glory to make up for suffering in this world?

subsistence farming. Whole life and future dependent harvest to harvest. Wholly dependent, completely helpless.

Why complain against one another? When the source of suffering is beyond our control, we can tend to pick on that we feel we can control.

We tend to envy the prophets, who spoke with the Lord and spoke in His name. We envy their hearing from God, their relationship with God. They bore the suffering and testimony of the Lord in their bodies and lives.

"The Lord is full of compassion and is merciful..." Is that the lesson of Job?

Is the "Coming of the Lord" the final day of Judgment or something even more immediate? For Job, the coming of the Lord was waited for, but it was not the final judgment. For most of the prophets, the "coming of the Lord" was waited for, sometimes for a generation, but though they also looked for to the ultimate judgment, their "coming of the Lord" was in moment or immediate future.

Examples:

What does swearing or oaths have to do with waiting on the coming of the Lord?

Job cursing God?

What kind of example are those prophets? Did they complain? Were they saints? They complained to God because they knew the source of salvation. They didn't give up on Him and try to fake their own solution.

Exploration

Prophets

Job

Story of Job. God makes a bet with Satan that Job's faithfulness is not just because of his blessings. Job slowly loses everything: wealth, family, health. His "friends" blame him. Job questions and complains, but he does not curse or reject God. (Job 1:22, 2:10

Words/Phrases

"coming of the Lord"literally "presence of the Lord". doesn't say "Day of the Lord"

farmer "waits" - expectant waiting

Patient/Patience - (imperative). delay, forbearing. "remain tranquil while waiting" "bear up under provocation without complaint"

strengthen your hearts - establish, decide firmly your interior/center/inner-self/seat of spiritual/physical/mental life

complain - groan/sigh, complain strongly, complain involuntarily?

compassion - he feels what we feel.

merciful - he doesn't give us what we deserve. much-affectioned (2 words for compassionate)

swear/oath - Jesus' SotM. manipulative speech. "affirm the veracity of one's statement by invoking a transcendent entity."

Outline

Be patient in your suffering (7-12)

Command to patience (7a)

Example of the farmer (7b-8)

Command to stop grumbling (opposite of patience) (9)

Example of the prophets, mainly Job (10-11)

Do not "go too far" (grumbling becomes cursing, oaths and swearing) (12)

Exegetical Ideas

Do not sin in your suffering, against each other or against God, but like the farmer and the prophets, wait on the LORD's presence and justice.

Homiletical Ideas

When it's out of your hands, trust His hands.

When in powerless suffering, do not lash out at the ones who can support you.

When in powerless suffering, do not lash out at the One who can save you.

Speak truth, Justice is coming.

Though you have no power, He is coming in power.

Complain but don’t curse, Grouch but don’t give up.