5:7-8 What do we learn from what James says here?

What James says here is linked by the word "therefore" to what he said against the wicked rich in V1-6 (CP V1-6).

In V7-8 James exhorts believers who are being persecuted by the wicked rich to remain steadfast under provocation and patiently await the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Just as the farmer has to patiently wait for rains to ripen his crop, so too Christians have to patiently await the coming of the Lord.

The coming of the Lord here refers to the time when Christ comes again to take all the saints of God - both living and dead - back to heaven with Him at the first resurrection, which signifies the end of the church age (CP Jn 14:1-3; 1Cor 15:51-58; Php 3:20-21; 1Th 4:13-18; 2Th 2:1, 7).

Many in the church believe that the "early rain" (at seed time), and the "latter rain" (at harvest time), are used in Jas 5:7 to picture the fruit of the harvest of souls.

They hold to the view that the early rain depicts the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the beginning of the church age on the Day of Pentecost, and that the latter rain depicts the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the end of the church age when the complete harvest of the church age will be gathered (CP De 11:14; Jer 5:24; Hos 6:3; Joel2:23; Zech 10:1 with Ac 2:1-8, 12-21 (Joel 2:28-32)).

There is no evidence to suggest that James had any of these scriptures in mind in Jas 5:7. He was simply exhorting Christians to remain steadfast under provocation, considering that Christ's coming again is imminent, and he then goes on and uses the Old Testament prophets and Job as examples of steadfastness despite their afflictions (CP V8-11).

Job is portrayed in the Old Testament as an immensely wealthy man of upright character who truly loved God. Yet God permitted Satan to test him (CP Job 1:1-12).

Job lost everything he owned, even his children and his health, but he never stopped trusting in God, and even though he did not understand why these things were happening to him he remained true to God. His steadfastness and patience enabled God's purpose to prevail over Satan (CP 1:13 - 42:17).

Job and the Old Testament prophets are the example believers must follow when they too are undergoing trials of their faith (CP Jas 1:2-4, 1Pe 1:6-9; 4:12-17).

We should note here in closing that Job was a grandson of Jacob (CP Gen 46:1-13).

5:9 See comments on 4:11-12

James:-