Burunche’s Blog

Elihu Rebukes Job’s Friends

“So these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. This kindled the anger of Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram. He burned with anger against Job for justifying himself rather than God, and he burned with anger against Job’s three friends because they had failed to refute Job, and yet had condemned him. Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because the others were older than he. But when he saw that the three men had no further reply, his anger was kindled.

So Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite declared: “I am young in years, while you are old; that is why I was timid and afraid to tell you what I know. I thought that age should speak, and many years should teach wisdom. But there is a spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding. It is not only the old who are wise, or the elderly who understand justice. Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me; I too will declare what I know.’ Indeed, I waited while you spoke; I listened to your reasoning; as you searched for words, I paid you full attention. But no one proved Job wrong; not one of you rebutted his arguments. So do not claim, ‘We have found wisdom; let God, not man, refute him.’

But Job has not directed his words against me, and I will not answer him with your arguments. Job’s friends are dismayed, with no more to say; words have escaped them. Must I wait, now that they are silent, now that they stand and no longer reply? I too will answer; yes, I will declare what I know. For I am full of words, and my spirit within me compels me. Behold, my belly is like unvented wine; it is about to burst like a new wineskin. I must speak and find relief; I must open my lips and respond. I will be partial to no one, nor will I flatter any man. For I do not know how to flatter, or my Maker would remove me in an instant.”

Poor Job! Job’s three friends have already practically talked him to death; however, there is always someone who wants to add one more comment. Now an onlooker named Elihu, son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram weighs in. Where Elihu has come from, we do not know. But evidently Elihu has been hanging around listening while Job’s other friends have lectured him. Elihu states that he has waited because he is younger and therefore must yield to his elders.

Elihu isn’t happy with anybody; he feels Job’s friends have condemned Job while failing to refute him but he also feels Job has tried to justify himself rather than God. All this while, Elihu has been constructing speeches in his head and now he feels it’s his turn. Elihu is about to make up for all the time he has been sitting listening to Job’s friends, and now Elihu is going to unload on Job at length. Elihu’s speech goes on for the next 5 chapters!

APPLICATION: What can we gain from this chapter? As we study Elihu’s speech in the next few chapters, he says several excellent things. But obviously Elihu has no compassion for Job or concern for his suffering. All Elihu can think of is the speeches he’s been writing in his head and how he will explode if he doesn’t share them. Elihu is already picturing the older men as they gasp, impressed with his brilliance and insight.

Look at what Elihu says about himself. “For I am full of words, and my spirit within me compels me. Behold, my belly is like unvented wine; it is about to burst like a new wineskin. I must speak and find relief; I must open my lips and respond. I will be partial to no one, nor will I flatter any man. For I do not know how to flatter, or my Maker would remove me in an instant.”

Consider Job’s situation. Job has spent weeks suffering physically and emotionally as his friends have condemned and vilified him. Given the fact that Elihu may be correct in all his sentiments, are his speeches really helpful or necessary? Does Job really need one more person talking at him?

Just go through a bad situation, and the Elihu’s crawl out of the woodwork. People of this nature sniff out those who are suffering and then show up to pound them with platitudes. It was after one such encounter many years ago, that I complained to a friend that I did not want to hear from one more person who hadn’t earned their PhD in suffering! Obviously, Elihu has barely passed Suffering 101, let alone earn any degree in it. It’s amazing how eloquently people can speak when they are speaking out of ignorance.

Yet another thing that Elihu is ignoring is the many faces of suffering. Several years ago, I was complaining to a fellow missionary. Another missionary in the group with which we were serving had criticized us severely; meanwhile, this woman was living in a nice house in the capital city with excellent house help. We were living up country in a house built in 1925. This woman’s family ate out in restaurants frequently and attended many social events with other expatriates. Our social situation was far different from that of our critic’s family. After I had dumped my load of grievances on my friend, she looked at me kindly and said, “Well, you know, I have decided that suffering is 100% for everybody.”

That statement stopped me in my tracks. I realized that both my husband and I had grown up in families with relatively little money. Those experiences in our childhoods had prepared us for the situation in which we then found ourselves. Because we had grown up with few resources, our simple living situation did not bother either of us very much. But for someone who had grown up in suburban America, even being deprived of a hot shower in the morning might cause them to suffer.

The lesson for this chapter is clear: Elihu is clueless. Don’t be like Elihu! One of the worst statements anybody can make to someone who is suffering is, “I know what you’re going through.” Far better to say, “I don’t know what you are going through, but I am here for you.”

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to be sensitive to those who are suffering and restrain ourselves from giving needless advice. Help us to have compassion and not to view the suffering of others as our opportunity to lecture. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Job’s Final Appeal

“I have made a covenant with my eyes. How then could I gaze with desire at a virgin? For what is the allotment of God from above, or the heritage from the Almighty on high? Does not disaster come to the unjust and calamity to the workers of iniquity? Does He not see my ways and count my every step?

If I have walked in falsehood or my foot has rushed to deceit, let God weigh me with honest scales, that He may know my integrity. If my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has followed my eyes, or if impurity has stuck to my hands, then may another eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted.

If my heart has been enticed by my neighbor’s wife, or I have lurked at his door, then may my own wife grind grain for another, and may other men sleep with her. For that would be a heinous crime, an iniquity to be judged. For it is a fire that burns down to Abaddon; it would root out my entire harvest.

If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or maidservant when they made a complaint against me, what will I do when God rises to judge? How will I answer when called to account? Did not He who made me in the womb also make them? Did not the same One form us in the womb?

If I have denied the desires of the poor or allowed the widow’s eyes to fail, if I have eaten my morsel alone, not sharing it with the fatherless—though from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow—if I have seen one perish for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a cloak, if his heart has not blessed me for warming him with the fleece of my sheep,

For calamity from God terrifies me, and His splendor I cannot overpower. If I have put my trust in gold or called pure gold my security, if I have rejoiced in my great wealth because my hand had gained so much, if I have regarded the sun if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless because I saw that I had support in the gate, then may my arm fall from my shoulder and be torn from its socket. in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor, so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth, this would also be an iniquity to be judged, for I would have denied God on high.

If I have rejoiced in my enemy’s ruin, or exulted when evil befell him—I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse—if the men of my house have not said, ‘Who is there who has not had his fill?’— but no stranger had to lodge on the street, for my door has been open to the traveler—if I have covered my transgressions like Adam by hiding my guilt in my heart, because I greatly feared the crowds and the contempt of the clans terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside—

 (Oh, that I had one to hear me! Here is my signature. Let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser compose His indictment. Surely I would carry it on my shoulder and wear it like a crown. I would give account of all my steps; I would approach Him like a prince.)—if my land cries out against me and its furrows weep together, if I have devoured its produce without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants, then let briers grow instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley.” Thus conclude the words of Job.

Job has had it! These men who have shown up whom Job thought were his friends have proven they don’t know him at all; instead, all they have done is to blame and accuse. The theme of their accusations has been “OK, so Job has a great reputation, but surely he must have secret sin somewhere!” Now Job has been pushed to the breaking point and is finally testifying to how he has actually been living his life.

1. Lust – Job protests that he has never lusted after a virgin or taken advantage of one because God is watching. “Does He not see my ways and count my every step?”
2. Deceitfulness and dishonesty – Job swears that he has remained honest, swearing “then may another eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted.”
3. Adultery-Again, Job repudiates any accusations of adultery. “For that would be a heinous crime, an iniquity to be judged.”
4. Abuse of servants-Job avows that he has been a compassionate master. “Did not the same One form us in the womb?”
5. Neglect or abuse of the poor, widows, and orphans-Job has cared for all the disadvantaged for years. If this is a lie, Job swears “then may my arm fall from my shoulder and be torn from its socket.
6. Worshiping money or the sun or the moon – Job says, “..this would also be an iniquity to be judged, for I would have denied God on high.”
7. Taking revenge on enemies or refusing hospitality to strangers or abuse of workers or tenants– Again, Job testifies to his innocence and swears an oath against himself if he is lying.

APPLICATION: Few things are more frustrating than being falsely accused. What can make things even worse is when the people accusing you are guilty of the very crimes they are trying to pin on you. Perhaps Job knows a great deal about his friends and realizes that several of them are actually guilty of the sins they are attributing to him. When the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery to Jesus, he told them that the one without sin could throw the first stone. When Jesus looked around, all the accusers had disappeared.

One thing to notice is the oaths that Job swears; he really means these terrible things. These statements are not mere figures of speech; Job really does expect that if he is found guilty, horrible things will happen to him. “If my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has followed my eyes, or if impurity has stuck to my hands, then may another eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted… if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless because I saw that I had support in the gate, then may my arm fall from my shoulder and be torn from its socket.”  Yipes!

Reading this list makes us realize that Job really has been doing a lot of good for a number of people and yet, now that Job is in trouble, these people are nowhere in sight. Sadly, such behavior is very common. Have Job’s friends and family deserted him because they don’t care or are they terrified that Job has somehow offended a local deity, bringing down curses on their heads? Are these people simply selfish?

One thing about Job: he has not been kind and charitable merely to show off. Job truly worships God and he has lived to please God and not himself. The only reason Job has mentioned his previous lifestyle is because of the persistent criticism from his friends.

Perhaps you currently find yourself in Job’s position. You have consistently tried to do the right thing, only to have your life fall apart anyway. But remember something: God is always watching you and God knows your situation, your problems, and your virtuous conduct. Job asked, “Does He not see my ways and count my every step?”  The answer for each of us is “Yes, God does see our ways and He does count our every step.” Don’t give up! Continue to act as God wants you to and allow Him to work in your life. God can do far more than you can possibly imagine.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us are exhausted! We have tried to do the right thing and yet all our efforts appear to have counted for nothing. Lord, help us realize that You keep the books and that You are the One who knows the end from the beginning. Only You know how much good our feeble efforts may have accomplished. Thank You for being there at all times. In the mighty and precious Name of Jesus. Amen.  

Job’s Honor Turned to Contempt

“But now they mock me, men younger than I am, whose fathers I would have refused to entrust with my sheep dogs. What use to me was the strength of their hands, since their vigor had left them? Gaunt from poverty and hunger, they gnawed the dry land, and the desolate wasteland by night. They plucked mallow among the shrubs, and the roots of the broom tree were their food. They were banished from among men, shouted down like thieves, so that they lived on the slopes of the wadis, among the rocks and in holes in the ground. They cried out among the shrubs and huddled beneath the nettles. A senseless and nameless brood, they were driven off the land.

And now they mock me in song; I have become a byword among them. They abhor me and keep far from me; they do not hesitate to spit in my face. Because God has unstrung my bow and afflicted me, they have cast off restraint in my presence. The rabble arises at my right; they lay snares for my feet and build siege ramps against me. They tear up my path; they profit from my destruction, with no one to restrain them. They advance as through a wide breach; through the ruins they keep rolling in.

Job’s Prosperity Becomes Calamity

Terrors are turned loose against me; they drive away my dignity as by the wind, and my prosperity has passed like a cloud. And now my soul is poured out within me; days of affliction grip me. Night pierces my bones, and my gnawing pains never rest. With great force He grasps my garment; He seizes me by the collar of my tunic. He throws me into the mud, and I have become like dust and ashes.

I cry out to You for help, but You do not answer; when I stand up, You merely look at me. You have ruthlessly turned on me; You oppose me with Your strong hand. You snatch me up into the wind and drive me before it; You toss me about in the storm.

Yes, I know that You will bring me down to death, to the place appointed for all the living. Yet no one stretches out his hand to a ruined man when he cries for help in his distress. Have I not wept for those in trouble? Has my soul not grieved for the needy? But when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, darkness fell. I am churning within and cannot rest; days of affliction confront me. I go about blackened, but not by the sun. I stand up in the assembly and cry for help. I have become a brother of jackals, a companion of ostriches. My skin grows black and peels, and my bones burn with fever. My harp is tuned to mourning and my flute to the sound of weeping.”

Remember all those young men, elders, and princes who were honoring Job as he sat at the gate? Now that Job’s fortunes have deteriorated, those men have turned on him. “And now they mock me in song; I have become a byword among them. They abhor me and keep far from me; they do not hesitate to spit in my face. Because God has unstrung my bow and afflicted me, they have cast off restraint in my presence. The rabble arises at my right; they lay snares for my feet and build siege ramps against me. They tear up my path; they profit from my destruction, with no one to restrain them. They advance as through a wide breach; through the ruins they keep rolling in.”

Evidently, the local rabble have chosen Job as their target, and no insult is too foul. Job is probably afraid to go into town for fear that these guys will trip him, spit in his face, or even throw dirt at him. Worse, Job feels as if God has grabbed him by his collar, throwing him into the mud and turning him into dust and ashes. Job feels as if he is a piece of trash being blown around in a wind storm. Even though Job has spent most of his life helping the poor and downtrodden, now that he is suffering, he feels as if God has turned His back. Job’s skin is turning black and his bones are burning with fever. Job wonders how much longer he will suffer before he will die.

Was Job being paid back for his pride? It is tough to know. Certainly, Job had a high opinion of himself; however, Job also was quite compassionate. There are always people who have a jackal mentality. Jackals never hunt singly but in packs and they attack the wounded.  Now the jackals are surrounding Job.

APPLICATION: Reading this part of the Book of Job is depressing in the extreme; yet, there are people who have suffered just as much as Job. We follow the struggles of two different families with little boys with huge medical problems on Facebook. Sometimes the challenges these families face seem almost insurmountable, and yet they persevere. For these families, the temptation to say “What if?” must be overwhelming. “What if my child was healthy?” “What if we could be a normal family, one that doesn’t have an intensive care unit set up in the living room?” “What if we could just press a button and make all these problems disappear?”

It’s likely that these families may receive their share of criticism from others as to why their children should get so many medical resources spent on them while others cannot get any care at all. There are always people who are willing to blame and find fault. Like Job, these families continue to reach out to other suffering children and their families who are also on admission in big medical centers.

One thing we can learn from Job is to be careful about those to whom we show disdain. Today we might be doing well; however, tomorrow things might fall apart for us. It’s better to be gentle so that others will treat you gently. There’s a saying in the American South that “Everybody’s trying to swallow something he can’t quite get down.” We never know what kinds of suffering others are facing. Be gentle; today you are all right but tomorrow you might be the one struggling.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to be compassionate to those around us so that they will be compassionate to us in turn. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Job’s Former Blessings

And Job continued his discourse: “How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me, when His lamp shone above my head, and by His light I walked through the darkness,

when I was in my prime, when the friendship of God rested on my tent, when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me, when my steps were bathed in cream and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!

When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square, the young men saw me and withdrew, and the old men rose to their feet. The princes refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands. The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths. For those who heard me called me blessed, and those who saw me commended me, because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper. The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban. I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger. I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.

So I thought: ‘I will die in my nest and multiply my days as the sand. My roots will spread out to the waters, and the dew will rest nightly on my branches. My glory is ever new within me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.’ Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my counsel. After my words, they spoke no more; my speech settled on them like dew. They waited for me as for rain and drank in my words like spring showers. If I smiled at them, they did not believe it; the light of my countenance was precious. I chose their course and presided as chief. So I dwelt as a king among his troops, as a comforter of the mourners.”

Forget all the insults Job’s friends have been heaping on him, before all the disasters, Job was THE MAN! “And Job continued his discourse: “How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me, when His lamp shone above my head, and by His light I walked through the darkness, when I was in my prime, when the friendship of God rested on my tent, when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me, when my steps were bathed in cream and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!”

Now Job goes on to detail just how great he actually was. Job was one of the most respected men in town. The young men retreated when Job appeared, the elders rose to their feet in a show of respect, and even the princes refused to speak until Job had spoken. Why did Job command such respect? “me commended me, because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper. The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban. I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger. I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.”

After all this, Job was sure that the rest of his life was going to be smooth; after all, he was righteous. “So I thought: ‘I will die in my nest and multiply my days as the sand. My roots will spread out to the waters, and the dew will rest nightly on my branches. My glory is ever new within me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.’ So this was the way things were going, right up until the day that God withdrew His protection, allowing Satan to attack Job, his family, and everything he owned.

Now Job’s health is broken, his wealth has evaporated, his family is devastated, and he is forced to sit listening to acquaintances accusing him of incredible crimes. Little wonder if Job might be bitter about his life falling apart. But is reflecting on past glory really helping Job? Probably not.

APPLICATION: If anybody could identify with Job, it might have been Horatio Gates Spafford. “Spafford was a lawyer and a senior partner in a large law firm. Spafford invested in real estate north of Chicago in the spring of 1871. However, in October 1871, the Great Fire of Chicago reduced the city to ashes, destroying most of Spafford’s investment.

Two years after the devastation of the Great Chicago Fire, the family planned a trip to Europe. Late business demands (zoning issues arising from the conflagration) kept Spafford from joining his wife and four daughters on a family vacation in England, where his friend D. L. Moody would be preaching.

On November 22, 1873, while crossing the Atlantic on the steamship Ville du Havre, the ship was struck by an iron sailing vessel, killing 226 people, including all four of Spafford’s daughters: Annie, age 12; Maggie, 7; Bessie, 4; and an 18-month old baby. His wife, Anna, survived the tragedy. Upon arriving in Cardiff, Wales, she sent a telegram to Spafford that read “Saved alone.” Shortly afterwards, as Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife, he was inspired to write It Is Well with My Soul as his ship passed near where his daughters had died.” (Information from Wikipedia.)

After this horrific loss, Spafford and his wife had three more children and turned their attentions away from material success. Eventually, they moved to Jerusalem, where they helped found the American Colony and joined a ministry that helped Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Although Spafford left a legacy in Jerusalem, his biggest gift to the world was the hymn he wrote while crossing the part of the ocean where his children had died.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

(Refrain:) It is well (it is well),
with my soul (with my soul),
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
(Refrain)

My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
(Refrain)

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pain shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
(Refrain)

And Lord haste the day, when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
(Refrain)

Lot’s wife died because she hesitated and looked back as Sodom and Gomorrah were being destroyed. When disaster strikes, it is far better to look forward than back, because reflecting on past glories may sour us so much that we become nearly unable to move forward at all. If we allow grief to capture us, we may find ourselves sinking in emotional quicksand.

PRAYER: Father God, there are many people whose lives have been torn apart by disasters and who are tempted to look back. Help all of us to leave the past with You and to move forward. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Where Can Wisdom Be Found?

“Surely there is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore. Man puts an end to the darkness; he probes the farthest recesses for ore in deepest darkness. Far from human habitation he cuts a shaft in places forgotten by the foot of man. Far from men he dangles and sways. Food may come from the earth, but from below it is transformed as by fire. Its rocks are the source of sapphires,

containing flecks of gold. No bird of prey knows that path; no falcon’s eye has seen it. Proud beasts have never trodden it; no lion has ever prowled over it. The miner strikes the flint; he overturns mountains at their base. He hews out channels in the rocks, and his eyes spot every treasure. He stops up the sources of the streams to bring what is hidden to light.

But where can wisdom be found, and where does understanding dwell? No man can know its value, nor is it found in the land of the living. The ocean depths say, ‘It is not in me,’ while the sea declares, ‘It is not with me.’ It cannot be bought with gold, nor can its price be weighed out in silver. It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire. Neither gold nor crystal can compare, nor jewels of fine gold be exchanged for it. Coral and quartz are unworthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies. Topaz from Cush cannot compare, nor can it be valued in pure gold.

From where then does wisdom come, and where does understanding dwell? It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing and concealed from the birds of the air. Abaddon and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor about it.’ But God understands its way, and He knows its place. For He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. When God fixed the weight of the wind and measured out the waters, when He set a limit for the rain and a path for the thunderbolt, when He looked at wisdom and appraised it; He established it and searched it out. And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

Sometimes reading the Book of Job can be extremely depressing. Here is this guy who looks totally unappealing. We do not even know how strong his voice is any more…and yet….And yet, this man utters some of the most vivid statements about God, His glory, His majesty, His wisdom, and His might.

Job first asks the question, “Where can wisdom be found?” He then vividly describes mining practices that supply the world with gold and all matter of precious jewels. Job describes mining for gold, iron, copper, and sapphires, concluding that wisdom cannot be dug out of the earth.

Next, Job asks the price of wisdom, stating that wisdom is priceless.  “No man can know its value, nor is it found in the land of the living. The ocean depths say, ‘It is not in me,’ while the sea declares, ‘It is not with me.’ It cannot be bought with gold, nor can its price be weighed out in silver. It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire. Neither gold nor crystal can compare, nor jewels of fine gold be exchanged for it. Coral and quartz are unworthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies. Topaz from Cush cannot compare, nor can it be valued in pure gold.”

Finally, Job concludes that only God possess wisdom. “But God understands its way, and He knows its place. For He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.” When God fixed the weight of the wind and measured out the waters, when He set a limit for the rain and a path for the thunderbolt, when He looked at wisdom and appraised it; He established it and searched it out. And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

These descriptions are lyrical and comprise some of the most glorious poetry in the Bible. But why is Job saying all this? After sitting for days and even weeks listening to meaningless orations, Job is speaking from his experience with God. Job’s visitors have lectured him, assuming that they are wise; meanwhile, Job feels that only God truly has wisdom. It is also obvious to Job that his visitors know practically nothing about God and have only been mouthing platitudes.

APPLICATION: How much do most of us know about God? Even though God has created the universe, even though God has created each one of us, even though our lives are in God’s hands, many of us know little about him, Even more important, few of us actually regard God with the awe He deserves.

“OMG!,” standing for “Oh my God!” has become a common abbreviation. But when God was giving Moses the Ten Commandments, he ordered us not to take His name in vain. Exodus 20:7 tells us, “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”

Even though Job is miserable and suffering, he still gives praise to God and describes God’s magnificent character. For Job, the exclamation “Oh my God!” describes the God whom Job knows intimately. How much do we know of God?

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to respect You and to reverence You as You deserve. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Job Affirms His Integrity

“job continued his discourse: “As surely as God lives, who has deprived me of justice—the Almighty, who has embittered my soul—as long as my breath is still within me and the breath of God remains in my nostrils, my lips will not speak wickedness, and my tongue will not utter deceit. I will never say that you are right; I will maintain my integrity until I die. I will hold fast my righteousness and never let go. As long as I live, my conscience will not accuse me.

The Wicked Man’s Portion

May my enemy be like the wicked and my opponent like the unjust. For what hope has the godless when he is cut off, when God takes away his life? Will God hear his cry when distress comes upon him? Will he delight in the Almighty? Will he call upon God at all times? I will instruct you in the power of God. I will not conceal the ways of the Almighty. Surely all of you have seen it for yourselves. Why then do you keep up this empty talk?

This is the wicked man’s portion from God—the heritage the ruthless receive from the Almighty. Though his sons are many, they are destined for the sword; and his offspring will never have enough food. His survivors will be buried by the plague, and their widows will not weep for them. Though he heaps up silver like dust and piles up a wardrobe like clay, what he lays up, the righteous will wear, and his silver will be divided by the innocent.

The house he built is like a moth’s cocoon, like a hut set up by a watchman. He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more; when he opens his eyes, all is gone. Terrors overtake him like a flood; a tempest sweeps him away in the night. The east wind carries him away, and he is gone; it sweeps him out of his place. It hurls itself against him without mercy as he flees headlong from its power. It claps its hands at him and hisses him out of his place.”

Very few things are more painful than having one’s integrity assaulted. One of the problems with integrity is that it is a very difficult thing to measure and assessments of integrity are highly subjective. We might feel that our motives are very pure, only to have others misinterpret our actions. Now Job has been pushed to the point of defending himself.

“I will never say that you are right; I will maintain my integrity until I die. I will hold fast my righteousness and never let go. As long as I live, my conscience will not accuse me.” Job has had it! Until now, Job has not forcibly contradicted his friends; however, now he is emphatically disagreeing. Even though Job feels God has deprived him of justice, he still swears by God. Now Job describes the end of the wicked.

“I will instruct you in the power of God. I will not conceal the ways of the Almighty. Surely all of you have seen it for yourselves. Why then do you keep up this empty talk?” According to Job, no matter how well the wicked might do and no matter how rich they might become, in the end, their families will disappear and their riches will go to someone else. Even the forces of nature themselves will reject the wicked. “The east wind carries him away, and he is gone; it sweeps him out of his place. It hurls itself against him without mercy as he flees headlong from its power. It claps its hands at him and hisses him out of his place.”

While Job is describing the end of the wicked, his friends might be sitting there thinking, “Hey, Job! What about you? All these things you are describing have already happened to you. How can you defend yourself when you are sitting there penniless, sick, and bereaved?” If you were one of Job’s friends, you might be scratching your head.

APPLICATION:  “Can you guarantee to me that this project is not for profit?” We were fledgling missionaries raising support in my home area. The questioner was a close family friend, a man of iron-clad integrity who was already supporting several missionaries. We assured our friend that yes, this new mission hospital would not benefit any private individual.

Fast forward one year. I was in a meeting with the advisory board for the new mission hospital that is to occupy a building erected by a church member in his home village. One of the members had suggested that our mission should pay this individual a large amount of money for his “charitable” donation. What should I do? At that point, I remembered that conversation back in America. Our mission belonged to the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, and I had armed myself with several copies of the ECFA brochure. When I distributed the ECFA brochure, I directed the attention of the group to the fact that money raised for one purpose could not be diverted to another purpose unless we secured the expressed written permission of all the donors. Lacking such permission, we would find ourselves in breach of contract with our donors. There were three lawyers on that advisory board, and when I said “breach of contract,” they immediately took notice!

As fledgling missionaries, we naturally wanted to fit in as much as possible. Had our friend in America no questioned us so closely, I might have seriously been tempted to compromise. But I had to keep faith with our donors. I had given my word, and that ended it.

How much is your integrity worth? These days, integrity appears to be in short supply, particularly in business and politics. The value of integrity is beyond rubies. Proverbs 11:3 tells us, “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.”  Proverbs 12:22 says, “The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.”

Despite all Job’s suffering, he continues to defend his integrity, believing in himself. How many of us could withstand a similar test? May God help us, so that we will continue to honor Him as we make decisions, so that we never compromise under pressure.  

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us face assaults on our integrity on a daily basis. Help us to remember that You watch everything that we do and that You will help us if only we will ask. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Job: Who Can Understand God’s Majesty?

“Then Job answered: “How you have helped the powerless and saved the arm that is feeble! How you have counseled the unwise and provided fully sound insight! To whom have you uttered these words? And whose spirit spoke through you?

The dead tremble—those who dwell beneath the waters. Sheol is naked before Him, and Abaddon has no covering. He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth upon nothing. He wraps up the waters in His clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their own weight. He covers the face of the full moon, spreading over it His cloud.

He has inscribed a horizon on the face of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness. The foundations of heaven quake, astounded at His rebuke. By His power He stirred the sea; by His understanding He shattered Rahab. By His breath the skies were cleared; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent. Indeed, these are but the fringes of His ways; how faint is the whisper we hear of Him! Who then can understand the thunder of His power?”

If Job  sounds disgusted, he has excellent reason. For weeks, Job has sat there while his purported comforters have pontificated and blustered. The most frustrating aspect is that these men obviously have no first-hand knowledge of God but only whatever they have absorbed from tradition and those around them. While Job has honestly worshiped God for years, these men are only spouting sentiments. No wonder that Job is disgusted.

First Job rebukes his friends and then goes on to describe the God whom he has worshiped for years. The Bible is full of magnificent passages and this is certainly one of them.

“The dead tremble—those who dwell beneath the waters. Sheol is naked before Him, and Abaddon has no covering.” Only God has full knowledge of both heaven and hell; nobody else has such knowledge.

“He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth upon nothing. He wraps up the waters in His clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their own weight. He covers the face of the full moon, spreading over it His cloud.”  The Sovereign God controls the weather in miraculous fashion.  

“He has inscribed a horizon on the face of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness. The foundations of heaven quake, astounded at His rebuke. By His power He stirred the sea; by His understanding He shattered Rahab. By His breath the skies were cleared; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent. Indeed, these are but the fringes of His ways; how faint is the whisper we hear of Him! Who then can understand the thunder of His power?”

In this passage, Job honors God with an amazing description of His power, His might, and His incredible knowledge. It is God who has divided day from night, who has repeatedly defeated evil. And all these accomplishments are “but the fringes of his ways,” only a small glimpse of His magnificence.

Please remember that this description is coming from a chronically ill man scratching himself with pieces of pottery while he suffers through lecture after lecture from men who think they know it all when they actually know nothing.

APPLICATION: Amy Carmichael was an Irish Christian missionary who lived from 1867 – 1951. After several years spent in various missions, Carmichael moved to India, where she spent 55 years. Through the Dohnavur Fellowship, Carmichael rescued children from sexual slavery as temple slaves, raising them at the Dohnavur orphanage, worked on behalf of women, and wrote nearly forty books. Despite a fall at a construction site resulted in an injury that rendered her a bedridden cripple for the last twenty years of her life, Carmichael continued to minister, to write, and to inspire millions.

One veteran missionary said that he always knew when his wife was struggling because she would begin reading Carmichael’s books. If anybody could ever identify with Job, it might have been Amy Carmichael, and yet she was one of the most cheerful and uplifting people imaginable.

One collection of Carmichael’s writings is entitled The Edges of His Ways. The title is taken from this passage in Job. Amazing! A man who loved God and who suffered thousands of years ago inspired a missionary working in India. Burning with the fire of faith, this woman took Job’s assertions about God and used it to inspire untold numbers of people.

Thanks to the internet, we now can view amazing footage of huge ships enduring massive storms that throw waves several stories high, tossing them as if they are wood chips. We can view storm videos, watching as entire towns are wiped out in seconds. When viewing such things, remember that God is far bigger than anything the videos capture. Truly, Job was correct: “Indeed, these are but the fringes of His ways; how faint is the whisper we hear of Him! Who then can understand the thunder of His power?”

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us are discouraged, wondering if Your power really exists. Move in our hearts and help us to see the edges of Your ways in our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Bildad: Man Cannot Be Righteous

“Then Bildad the Shuhite replied: “Dominion and awe belong to Him; He establishes harmony in the heights of heaven. Can His troops be numbered? On whom does His light not rise? How then can a man be just before God? How can one born of woman be pure? If even the moon does not shine, and the stars are not pure in His sight, how much less man, who is but a maggot, and the son of man, who is but a worm!”

Now Bildad is weighing in again. Bildad seems to be the kind of guy who just can’t keep quiet; if someone else has given an opinion, Bildad is going to try to top it. Job has just affirmed, “Yet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have followed in His tracks; I have kept His way without turning aside. I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread.”

Bildad cannot possibly allow that statement to slide! Job has just made a statement of faith that will echo down the centuries, lighting a fire that will illumine lives forever. Bildad re-ties his sandals, adjusts his robes, slicks back his hair, examines his fingernails to make sure his most recent manicure is perfect, and then proceeds to blast Job. Having previously accused Job of unspeakable wickedness, now Bildad contends that men are merely maggots and worms in God’s sight. Question for Bildad: if you know that men are maggots and worms, then why are you reproaching Job for behaving maggoty and wormy?

Bildad’s main problem seems to be that he does not think Job is abasing himself enough. Perhaps Bildad has never gotten enough attention from his father and so feels under-valued. It is likely that Bildad has always regarded Job as a father figure with a mixture of awe and envy. Now Bildad wants Job to give Bildad the respect Bildad never received from his own father.

Looking at Job, one might wonder how anybody could be more abased than Job – penniless, covered with running sores, covering his body with sackcloth so that people can’t see just how awful his skin is. But Bildad wants satisfaction in any way he can get it. What Job’s other visitors think of Bildad is an open question. Notice that Bildad is the last one to speak; that suggests that he is younger and of lower status than everyone else. It’s possible that Job’s other visitors have failed to give Bildad the respect he has anticipated, so now Bildad intends to collect from Job.

APPLICATION: Mixed motives! Bildad is the king of mixed motives. Reading Bildad’s scathing remarks, we wonder why Bildad has ever chosen to come visit Job in the first place. Perhaps Bildad has been hanging around the city gate in hopes of being seen as one of the elders; meanwhile, everybody in town knows that Bildad is just a pretender and a fake.  William Faulkner, the author, may have enjoyed a wide reputation as a writer, but to his fellow citizens in his small Mississippi town, he was known as “Count No-Count.” Bildad’s towns people may view him similarly.

Bildad’s speeches appear to be riddled with cliches. If Bildad were alive today, he would express himself strictly in memes and emojis. What can we learn from Bildad?

There is a saying in the American South that ”everybody is good for something; some folks are only good to serve as bad examples for the rest of us.” Bildad fits that description. If you want to learn how to comfort someone who is grieving, just look at Bildad and then say/do the opposite! The sad thing is that if Bildad were really to behave as a comforter should, we would have a far different view of him. Bildad could have simply come to Job and continued to sit with him sympathetically while the rest of the delegation raged and orated. Had Bildad told Job, “I don’t understand what God is doing, but I am here for you,” Bildad’s name would have been preserved as one of the righteous. But Bildad failed, choosing to copy the rest of the delegation.

How can we avoid Bildad-type behavior? Look for the small things grieving people need and then offer to do them. One famous story concerns a man who came to his neighbor’s family after his neighbor died and cleaned and polished the family shoes so that they could wear them to the funeral without appearing shabby. Wash a car. Ask for the family grocery list and do the grocery shopping. Take kids to practices or piano lessons. Offer to teach the Sunday School class the grieving person has been handling – the options are endless. And above all, do things willingly, cheerfully, sensitively, and QUIETLY! Jesus warned his disciples that when they were going to donate money to the temple, they shouldn’t advertise the fact. Do not force the situation. Do not do something very kind, only to spoil things by running out and telling everybody how thoughtful you have been. Do not insist on teaching that Sunday School class if the grieving widow or widower wants to continue. The people in that class might be serving as his/her lifeline.

Above all, pray and ask God to show you the needs of your grieving friends and what God wants you to do about them. Only God truly knows the human heart; the rest of us simply guess.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to comfort others with the comfort we ourselves would hope to receive. Help us to be quiet, sensitive, and loving in our efforts. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Job: Judgment for the Wicked

“Why does the Almighty not reserve times for judgment? Why may those who know Him never see His days? Men move boundary stones; they pasture stolen flocks. They drive away the donkey of the fatherless and take the widow’s ox in pledge. They push the needy off the road and force all the poor of the land into hiding.

Indeed, like wild donkeys in the desert, the poor go to work foraging for food; the wasteland is food for their children. They gather fodder in the fields and glean the vineyards of the wicked. Without clothing, they spend the night naked; they have no covering against the cold. Drenched by mountain rains, they huddle against the rocks for want of shelter.

The fatherless infant is snatched from the breast; the nursing child of the poor is seized for a debt. Without clothing, they wander about naked. They carry the sheaves, but still go hungry. They crush olives within their walls; they tread the winepresses, but go thirsty. From the city, men groan, and the souls of the wounded cry out, yet God charges no one with wrongdoing.

Then there are those who rebel against the light, not knowing its ways or staying on its paths. When daylight is gone, the murderer rises to kill the poor and needy; in the night he is like a thief. The eye of the adulterer watches for twilight. Thinking, ‘No eye will see me,’ he covers his face. In the dark they dig through houses; by day they shut themselves in, never to experience the light. For to them, deep darkness is their morning; surely they are friends with the terrors of darkness! They are but foam on the surface of the water; their portion of the land is cursed, so that no one turns toward their vineyards.

As drought and heat consume the melting snow, so Sheol steals those who have sinned. The womb forgets them; the worm feeds on them; they are remembered no more. So injustice is like a broken tree. They prey on the barren and childless, and show no kindness to the widow. Yet by His power, God drags away the mighty; though rising up, they have no assurance of life. He gives them a sense of security, but His eyes are on their ways. They are exalted for a moment, then they are gone; they are brought low and gathered up like all others; they are cut off like heads of grain. If this is not so, then who can prove me a liar and reduce my words to nothing?”

From Job’s descriptions, it is obvious that he is living in a time of lawlessness. When the Israelites refused to follow God’s commands given through Moses, it was said of them in the Book of Judges that “In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25) Things in the Land of Uz appear to be in a similar state.

The descriptions of this depravity are chilling: oppression of the poor and needy, of widows and orphans, seizure of even nursing infants to satisfy debts, refusal to pay workers so that they gain nothing from the foodstuffs they handle – the list is stultifying and appalling. Then Job begins to describe thieves who dig through the walls of houses by night, only to rob during the day when owners are away. “For to them, deep darkness is their morning; surely they are friends with the terrors of darkness!” And Job vividly describes the lot of the wicked.“They are but foam on the surface of the water; their portion of the land is cursed, so that no one turns toward their vineyards.”

Job is angry that God does not appear to instantly punish all these evil-doers, and yet, he also vividly describes the fate of the wicked. “As drought and heat consume the melting snow, so Sheol steals those who have sinned. The womb forgets them; the worm feeds on them; they are remembered no more.” “Yet by His power, God drags away the mighty; though rising up, they have no assurance of life. He gives them a sense of security, but His eyes are on their ways. They are exalted for a moment, then they are gone; they are brought low and gathered up like all others; they are cut off like heads of grain.”

Reading these words, you wonder how Job can argue both sides of the question. How can Job be angry with God for not immediately punishing the wicked at the same time he is also describing the horrible fate of the wicked? Sounds confusing; but face it, suffering doesn’t make for logical thinking. If you are miserable enough, your thoughts can race around like demented gerbils on exercise wheels.

APPLICATION: What is really frustrating Job is that he has tried to live righteously his entire life and yet he is suffering horribly. Job has been around a long time and he is fully aware of the activities of the wicked in his area. If you could graph Job’s emotions, they might resemble the ECG of a patient with ventricular fibrillation. How can anybody possibly stay calm when they are suffering as Job is?

“BE AT PEACE!” For the last year, this is the message that God has persistently and consistently given me. During that time, my husband and I have grieved for the loss of my beloved brother and some close friends. We have faced health problems, upheaval in our working situation, and a number of other challenges. At the hospital, the staff and I have struggled to heal patients who have come to us after they have exhausted all other treatments.

Only recently, we lost a handsome five-year-old little boy who had fallen out of a tree. The original injury was mild; however, the family compounded the problem by consulting an herbalist, who fed the child concoctions that destroyed the boy’s kidneys. We found ourselves helpless in the face of overwhelming odds. But our problems pale in the face of those faced by some of my Facebook friends.

Thanks to Facebook, I follow the work of an American missionary couple ministering in Kiev, Ukraine. These folks face Russian air strikes and all kinds of other threats, and the worry about the health of a daughter battling cancer; yet, they continue to live and work in one of the world’s hot spots. How are they managing to do this? Only God can give them peace of mind and heart.

How can we remain at peace when our lives are in chaos? Jesus gave his disciples the answer during his teaching the night before he was crucified. “ “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.” We may not control our circumstances, but we can control our reaction to them. We must take authority over our thoughts and refuse to entertain anxiety. God tells us in Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”

“Well, that’s all very well for you to say,” you might think, “but you don’t know how bad my situation is.” True. But God DOES know, and God wants you to have His peace in the middle of your mess as well! You might feel as if such peace is an impossibility, but God can also give you the strength to reject anxiety and focus on Him. Pray and ask God to help you; He will. Many people have found it helpful to write out a few key scriptures on note cards and post them where they can be seen several times a day. Now that we all carry cell phones, you can keep a list of verses on your phone. Go online and Google “peace Bible verses” and you will get a long list. Next, find one or two verses that speak particularly to you. Those are the verses you need.

There is a meme that says, “Instead of counting sheep, how about talking to the Good Shepherd?” Psalm 61:2 tells us, “From the ends of the earth I call out to You whenever my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Feeling overwhelmed and undone by worry? Ask God for help; He will never disappoint you.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, there are many people who feel overwhelmed and who need peace. Help them to turn to You and give them Your Peace that is beyond all understanding. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Job Longs for God

“Then Job answered: “Even today my complaint is bitter. His hand is heavy despite my groaning. If only I knew where to find Him, so that I could go to His seat. I would plead my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments. I would learn how He would answer, and consider what He would say. Would He contend with me in His great power? No, He would certainly take note of me. Then an upright man could reason with Him, and I would be delivered forever from my Judge.

If I go east, He is not there, and if I go west, I cannot find Him. When He is at work in the north, I cannot behold Him; when He turns to the south, I cannot see Him. Yet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have followed in His tracks; I have kept His way without turning aside. I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread.

But He is unchangeable, and who can oppose Him? He does what He desires. For He carries out His decree against me, and He has many such plans. Therefore I am terrified in His presence; when I consider this, I fear Him. God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me. Yet I am not silenced by the darkness, by the thick darkness that covers my face.”

After all these insults, Job weighs in again. Job wishes that he can just meet God and confront Him. Job actually thinks he can argue with the Creator of the Universe and “consider what He will say.” Wow! Talk about nerve! But Job trusts that God will seriously consider Job’s arguments. Even though Job does not know where to find God, he still trusts that God will honor his presumption and that his arguments will carry the day with God. “Yet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have followed in His tracks; I have kept His way without turning aside. I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread.”  

Despite all the insults and innuendos Job’s friends have heaped upon him, Job still believes in his own righteousness. But Job also knows that God is almighty and does whatever He wants. Even in the darkness of Job’s suffering, he refuses to be silenced.

APPLICATION: If we are honest with ourselves, very few of us would have the same amount of presumption as Job. Face it, we are not righteous, no matter how hard we try. Our thoughts and our actions fall far short of perfection or holiness. This being the case, how should we regard God?

What Job fails to realize is that God is not persecuting him, but allowing him to be tried. “Yet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” In fact, this eventually happens.

Very few of us learn much from prosperity or comfort. When I was growing up on a Midwestern farm, we began working as soon as we could walk; this was what our parents and grandparents had done. I learned to milk cows by hand partially because I enjoyed it but also because many generations of women in my family had done so. I am eternally grateful for having learned to work when I was young. I am also grateful for having had to do distasteful chores such as pitching manure. Once you have pitched a lot of manure, nothing else will faze you! No matter how bad things might get later on, you can always comfort yourself with the thought that at least you are not wielding a pitchfork. I am also thankful for having had to feed and water animals twice a day. Little did I realize at the time that God was preparing me for rounds in a bush hospital.

One of the major lessons we can gain from the Book of Job is that we never know what God is doing in our lives. All the time that we think we are suffering, God is preparing us to help others. There is no substitute for experience. Job is certain that God is punishing him; meanwhile, God is actually refining him. In the beginning, Job was a nice rich guy doing good stuff and worshiping God. Job was not a bad person; however, Job had never really suffered any setbacks or any health problems. Job’s life was very pleasant, and he assumed it would continue in that fashion. What could possibly go wrong? Perhaps Job might even have assumed that he deserved his wealth and his happiness because he worshiped God, assuming that anyone who was suffering had failed God somehow. Now Job’s misbeliefs have been torn away; never again will he assume that people who suffer somehow deserve their misery!  

God is a loving God and despite all Job’s accusations, God is continuing to work things out for Job’s good. If you feel trapped in an impossible situation, hold on! God’s answers might be closer than you think. Trust God even in the dark and pray for the light to come; eventually it will.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, there are many people who feel exhausted and completely depleted. Please give these people new light and new hope. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.