Burunche’s Blog

Eliphaz: Can a Man Be of Use to God?

“Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied: “Can a man be of use to God? Can even a wise man benefit Him? Does it delight the Almighty that you are righteous? Does He profit if your ways are blameless? Is it for your reverence that He rebukes you and enters into judgment against you?

Is not your wickedness great? Are not your iniquities endless? For you needlessly demanded security from your brothers, stripping off their clothes and leaving them naked. You gave no water to the weary, and you withheld food from the famished, while the land belonged to a mighty man, and a man of honor lived on it. You sent widows away empty-handed, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed. Therefore snares surround you, and sudden peril terrifies you; it is so dark you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you. Is not God as high as the heavens? Look at the highest stars, how lofty they are! Yet you say: ‘What does God know? Does He judge through thick darkness? Clouds veil Him so that He cannot see, as He traverses heaven’s horizon.’

Will you stay on the ancient path that wicked men have trod? They were snatched away before their time, and their foundations were swept away by a river. They said to God, ‘Depart from us. What can the Almighty do to us?’ But it was He who filled their houses with good things; so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked. The righteous see it and are glad; the innocent mock them: ‘Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire has consumed their excess.’

Reconcile now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you. Receive instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart. If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored. If you remove injustice from your tents and consign your gold to the dust and the gold of Ophir to the stones of the ravines, then the Almighty will be your gold and the finest silver for you. Surely then you will delight in the Almighty and lift up your face to God. You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows. Your decisions will be carried out, and light will shine on your ways. When men are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then He will save the lowly. He will deliver even one who is not innocent, rescuing him through the cleanness of your hands.”

Talk about being confused! First, Eliphaz claims that God doesn’t care whether or not men are righteous. But then Eliphaz claims that Job has committed unspeakable crimes for which God is punishing him. Eliphaz is arguing both sides of the question and doing a poor job of it.

Job has already testified to his track record as someone who has been helping the poor and defenseless; yet, Eliphaz is claiming the exact opposite. Where Eliphaz has gotten this information is anyone’s guess. It’s likely that Eliphaz is the kind of guy who loves to listen to gossip and who will believe any story as long as it’s wild enough. No doubt, Job has envious neighbors who are more than happy to recount vivid stories to a sympathetic listener, namely Eliphaz.

Having jumped to wrong conclusions based on these stories, Eliphaz is now entranced by his own descriptions of God’s retribution for Job’s imagined crimes. You can practically see Eliphaz drooling as he visualizes Job suffering even more than he has already.

Finally, Eliphaz attempts to sanitize these vicious verbal assaults by mouthing pious platitudes about God’s mercy if Job will repent. What a hypocrite!

APPLICATION: The Book of Job is amazing because just when you think the insults can’t get any worse, another visitor weighs in with new attacks. The amazing or depressing thing is that these guys really believe they themselves are pure and righteous, despite their vicious assaults on Job. One wonders exactly secret sins these men have harbored themselves. Ironically, many times those who criticize others are drawing on their own experience. And these guys also have no problems speaking for God, even though they have no relationship with Him. Just wait; eventually, God will settle with these guys.

When Jesus was ministering on earth, he repeatedly got criticized for associating with tax collectors, prostitutes, and other undesirables. The Jewish religious community was divided into two camps: there were those who were truly searching for the Messiah and who came to believe that Jesus was Messiah. Then there were those who could have claimed Eliphaz as a brother from another mother, men who had no problem in imagining Jesus to be guilty of the most heinous crimes.

Those whom Jesus touched had no problems believing him to be the Messiah. Those who remained at a distance refused, choosing to believe satanic lies. The question for each of us is this: whom will you believe? Will you jump to conclusions about someone based on wild stories, or will you give that individual the same chance you would want to be given? And if you have the opportunity to counsel someone who is grieving, will you take the time to get the truth? May God help each of us to demonstrate His mercy and grace to those around us!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to be kind, merciful, and gracious to those around us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

 “Then Job replied: “Listen carefully to my words; let this be the consolation you give me. Bear with me while I speak, and after I have spoken, mock on. “Is my complaint directed to a human being? Why should I not be impatient? Look at me and be appalled; clap your hand over your mouth. When I think about this, I am terrified; trembling seizes my body.

Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power? They see their children established around them, their offspring before their eyes. Their homes are safe and free from fear; the rod of God is not on them. Their bulls never fail to breed; their cows calve and do not miscarry. They send forth their children as a flock; their little ones dance about. They sing to the music of timbrel and lyre; they make merry to the sound of the pipe. They spend their years in prosperity and go down to the grave in peace. Yet they say to God, ‘Leave us alone! We have no desire to know your ways. Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What would we gain by praying to him?’ But their prosperity is not in their own hands, so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.

 “Yet how often is the lamp of the wicked snuffed out? How often does calamity come upon them, the fate God allots in his anger? How often are they like straw before the wind, like chaff swept away by a gale?  It is said, ‘God stores up the punishment of the wicked for their children.’ Let him repay the wicked, so that they themselves will experience it! Let their own eyes see their destruction; let them drink the cup of the wrath of the Almighty. For what do they care about the families they leave behind when their allotted months come to an end?

“Can anyone teach knowledge to God, since he judges even the highest? One person dies in full vigor, completely secure and at ease, well-nourished in body, bones rich with marrow. Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having enjoyed anything good. Side by side they lie in the dust, and worms cover them both.

“I know full well what you are thinking, the schemes by which you would wrong me. You say, ‘Where now is the house of the great, the tents where the wicked lived?’ Have you never questioned those who travel? Have you paid no regard to their accounts—that the wicked are spared from the day of calamity,
that they are delivered from the day of wrath? Who denounces their conduct to their face?
Who repays them for what they have done? They are carried to the grave, and watch is kept over their tombs. The soil in the valley is sweet to them; everyone follows after them, and a countless throng goes before them. “So how can you console me with your nonsense? Nothing is left of your answers but falsehood!”

Job is completely disgusted! All these visitors have done is to insult and accuse him. None of these so-called “friends” have troubled themselves to attempt to understand Job’s real problems. At the crux of Job’s complaints is his relationship with God. Hitherto, Job has always worshiped God and God has blessed him. But now God appears to have abandoned him, and Job doesn’t understand why. At the same time, God also seems to be blessing the wicked by perpetuating their families and multiplying their wealth. Even though people know men to be wicked, people still seek them out because of their power and influence.

Job’s visitors have accused him of secret wickedness for which God is punishing him. But Job points out that many times, the overtly wicked are not punished at all; in fact, the wicked and their families prosper. God’s refusal to punish the wicked means that these accusations are baseless and ridiculous. Job’s final retort to his friends: “So how can you console me with your nonsense? Nothing is left of your answers but falsehood!”

APPLICATION: By this point, not only is Job fed up with his self-styled comforters, but so are we! Around the world, there are lots of evil people who persist in their evil and yet make the Forbes list of world’s most wealthy. The argument that God punishes the wicked by making them suffer simply isn’t true.

The big question is WHY? Why doesn’t God just wipe out the wicked? For the answer, we must go back to Jesus’ conversation with a religious leader named Nicodemus. Nicodemus must have been a wonderful man and very serious about seeking God; however, Nicodemus was worried about his standing with his fellow religious leaders. To avoid ridicule, Nicodemus came to Jesus at night to find out if Jesus really was the long – awaited Messiah for whom sincere believers had been longing. You can read the story in John 3:1-21. Jesus tells Nicodemus, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and onlye Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

God sent Jesus into the world to die for the sins of all mankind. 2 Peter 3:9 assures us, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.”  God wants everyone to have the opportunity to repent and to turn to Him. God gives the wicked as much opportunity as possible so that they will have time to turn to Him. God has created us with free will; good people can make terrible decisions. But bad people can also make good ones.

One former member of a notorious motorcycle gang turned to God after being rescued from attack by a local minister. Later, I met this man’s mother and learned that she had prayed faithfully for him for years. One hero of faith has been quoted as saying that he always tries to see Jesus in every person he meets, no matter their nature.

God is far more merciful than we are! We would be willing to judge others, just as long as we ourselves can avoid their judgement. It is the judgement from Job’s visitors that is paining him, and these men aren’t about to let up. May we copy this fine man and refuse to copy Job’s friends!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to see those around us with Your eyes, as people who have infinite value to You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.    

Zophar: Destruction Awaits the Wicked

“Then Zophar the Naamathite replied: “So my anxious thoughts compel me to answer, because of the turmoil within me. I have heard a rebuke that insults me, and my understanding prompts a reply. Do you not know that from antiquity, since man was placed on the earth, the triumph of the wicked has been brief and the joy of the godless momentary? Though his arrogance reaches the heavens, and his head touches the clouds, he will perish forever, like his own dung; those who had seen him will ask, ‘Where is he?’ He will fly away like a dream, never to be found; he will be chased away like a vision in the night. The eye that saw him will see him no more, and his place will no longer behold him. His sons will seek the favor of the poor, for his own hands must return his wealth. The youthful vigor that fills his bones will lie down with him in the dust.

Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he conceals it under his tongue, though he cannot bear to let it go and keeps it in his mouth, yet in his stomach his food sours into the venom of cobras within him. He swallows wealth but vomits it out; God will force it from his stomach. He will suck the poison of cobras; the fangs of a viper will kill him. He will not enjoy the streams, the rivers flowing with honey and cream. He must return the fruit of his labor without consuming it; he cannot enjoy the profits of his trading. For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; he has seized houses he did not build. Because his appetite is never satisfied, he cannot escape with his treasure. Nothing is left for him to consume; thus his prosperity will not endure.

In the midst of his plenty, he will be distressed; the full force of misery will come upon him. When he has filled his stomach, God will vent His fury upon him, raining it down on him as he eats. Though he flees from an iron weapon, a bronze-tipped arrow will pierce him. It is drawn out of his back, the gleaming point from his liver. Terrors come over him. Total darkness is reserved for his treasures. A fire unfanned will consume him and devour what is left in his tent. The heavens will expose his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him. The possessions of his house will be removed, flowing away on the day of God’s wrath. This is the wicked man’s portion from God, the inheritance God has appointed him.”

Hoo-Boy! Zophar, tell us what you really feel! Now the gloves are coming off and Zophar is revealing his true character; too bad it’s nasty to the nth degree plus one! “I have heard a rebuke that insults me, and my understanding prompts a reply.” Hmm. Zophar shows up at a friend’s place. Said friend has been suffering untold torments. Rather than sympathizing, Zophar persists in condemning. When the friend attempts to defend himself, Zophar becomes mortally offended and accuses his friend of incredible wickedness. Zophar is the kind of guy who demands center stage at every event. He wants to be the groom at every wedding and the corpse at every funeral. If cell phones had existed in Job’s time, Zophar would have been the guy with a selfie stick, snapping admiring photos of himself with poor miserable Job in the background.

The rest of Zophar’s diatribe consists of vivid mental pictures of the suffering of the wicked. Obviously, Zophar has just been WAITING for the day when he could gloat over Job and now he’s painting horrible mental pictures. “the triumph of the wicked has been brief and the joy of the godless momentary?” “He swallows wealth but vomits it out; God will force it from his stomach. He will suck the poison of cobras; the fangs of a viper will kill him.”

“For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; he has seized houses he did not build. Because his appetite is never satisfied, he cannot escape with his treasure. Nothing is left for him to consume; thus his prosperity will not endure.” Say what? Job hasn’t been doing any such thing! Zophar can’t stand the idea that Job might have amassed all his previous wealth honestly; surely Job must have been doing something wicked. As long as Zophar can convince himself that Job’s wealth was gained by theft and corruption, Zophar no longer has to feel ashamed that he has not been as successful as Job.

“The possessions of his house will be removed, flowing away on the day of God’s wrath. This is the wicked man’s portion from God, the inheritance God has appointed him.”  Now we realize that Zophar has no real experience of God; he only has misconceptions. And once more we realize that Zophar has not come to sympathize but to gloat. How pathetic!

APPLICATION: We read Zophar’s comments and can barely believe that this man ever counted as one of Job’s friends. The key is in Zophar’s first statement: Zophar is offended because Job has refused to agree with his accusations. Now Zophar is taking revenge on Job for Job’s failure to agree with him and honor him as he desires. Once more, we see a perfect example of someone whose motives are not those of a comforter but rather those of a chronically envious individual bent on revenge for imagined slights. Perhaps this is not the first time Zophar has attempted to advise Job.

We read these words and think “Well! I would certainly never say such terrible things!” But, are we right? How many times have we envied those around us who are enjoying a higher life style? How many times have we harbored suspicions regarding the wealth of those close to us? How many times have we thought, “Oh, if I could just tell ___ what I think of him/her!” Obviously, Zophar has been cherishing such thoughts and is now giving voice to them. How ugly! But are we capable of similar ugliness? The painful answer is that yes, on any given day, any one of us might say terrible things to suffering hearts.

Zophar fails to prove himself a true friend; instead, Zophar is obviously someone who has been hanging around, happy to enjoy the fruits of Job’s prosperity but also envying Job. Somehow, Zophar has decided that Job doesn’t appreciate him and his wisdom sufficiently and has been resenting Job for these failings. The results are obvious. Zophar should be pouring healing oil on Job’s wounds; instead, he is spewing acid. Jesus told his disciples, ”O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” Matthew 12:34-40 King James Version (KJV) May we check our hearts so that they will be filled with love, not pride and condemnation! Don’t be a Zophar!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to remember to check our own hearts before we open our mouths. Help us to remember that grieving people need healing and not condemnation. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.  

Job: My Redeemer Lives

“Then Job answered: “How long will you torment me and crush me with your words? Ten times now you have reproached me; you shamelessly mistreat me. Even if I have truly gone astray, my error concerns me alone. If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me and use my disgrace against me, then understand that it is God who has wronged me and drawn His net around me.

Though I cry out, ‘Violence!’ I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice. He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; He has veiled my paths with darkness. He has stripped me of my honor and removed the crown from my head. He tears me down on every side until I am gone; He uproots my hope like a tree. His anger burns against me, and He counts me among His enemies. His troops advance together; they construct a ramp against me and encamp around my tent.

He has removed my brothers from me; my acquaintances have abandoned me. My kinsmen have failed me, and my friends have forgotten me. My guests and maidservants count me as a stranger; I am a foreigner in their sight. I call for my servant, but he does not answer, though I implore him with my own mouth. My breath is repulsive to my wife, and I am loathsome to my own family. Even little boys scorn me; when I appear, they deride me. All my best friends despise me, and those I love have turned against me.

My skin and flesh cling to my bones; I have escaped by the skin of my teeth. Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me. Why do you persecute me as God does? Will you never get enough of my flesh? I wish that my words were recorded and inscribed in a book, by an iron stylus on lead, or chiseled in stone forever.

But I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth. Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God. I will see Him for myself; my eyes will behold Him, and not as a stranger. How my heart yearns within me! If you say, ‘How we will persecute him, since the root of the matter lies with him,’ then you should fear the sword yourselves, because wrath brings punishment by the sword, so that you may know there is a judgment.”

This is it! Job is completely fed up and now we are getting new insights into just how horrible his life has become. ““How long will you torment me and crush me with your words? Ten times now you have reproached me; you shamelessly mistreat me.” Until now, Job has continued to hold out some hope that his friends would truly encourage him. But after being reproached ten times, Job realizes these friends are no friends.

“If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me and use my disgrace against me, then understand that it is God who has wronged me and drawn His net around me.” Job wants these men to realize that God is the One who has brought all these calamities on him and that he has done nothing to deserve them. When Job cries out, God does not appear to be listening. Job has lost his wealth, his family, and his standing in the community. Job’s physical problems have made him so repulsive that nobody wants to have anything to do with him, not even the servants or his wife. Even the street urchins mock Job.

“I wish that my words were recorded and inscribed in a book, by an iron stylus on lead, or chiseled in stone forever.” Here is the amazing thing: Job’s prayers have been answered millions of times since he made this request! Until eternity comes, we will never know how many different ways God has used to tell Job’s story. And God Himself refers to Job as a righteous man twice in Ezekiel 14. Job sees himself as a miserable wreck of a man, rejected by all around him and suffering untold agonies. But God views Job far differently. Even as Job is suffering, God is nudging the angels and pointing to Job saying, “I told Satan that Job would make it!”

“But I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth. Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God. I will see Him for myself; my eyes will behold Him, and not as a stranger.” If you don’t gain anything else from the Book of Job, remember these words and the suffering man who is saying them! Even though Job is angry with God and feels that God has punished him unfairly, Job still believes that God will redeem him and that he will see God as a friend and not as a stranger. Amazing! Magnificent! Incredible!

APPLICATION: Two things really stand out in this chapter: Job’s faith and the unworthy motives of Job’s friends. Lacking all personal knowledge of God, Job’s friends are the kind of people who would reproach a homeless family for laziness, never mind the fact that their bread winner has lost his job and has been struggling to find work for months.

It is now obvious that many of Job’s family and friends actually have valued him only for the benefits he can confer. Now that Job is impoverished, they have no time for him. What is shocking is the attitude of Job’s servants. In Job’s culture, servants were expected to respond to their masters, no matter what. For servants to be this disrespectful means they have absorbed the community attitude that Job is worthless and has no standing as a human being. In the same fashion, women in Job’s day were expected to honor their husbands; now Job’s wife can’t even stand the smell of his breath.

Very few of us will ever endure the kind of isolation through which Job suffered. For years, we have served in a country and culture far different from our original ones. But in such a situation, some degree of isolation is expected. Job’s situation is much more frustrating and depressing because he is in his own culture and yet those around him are shunning him.

The question this chapter raises for us is this: How compassionate are we to those isolated by culture, race, financial position, etc.? How willing are we to get out of our comfort zones to help others? Among our friends are several individuals and couples who routinely minister in prisons, holding Bible studies and retreats for prisoners. We have other friends who volunteer at a shelter for battered women and children, doing routine maintenance and raising funding. We only know about these activities through our friendship; our friends do not advertise their efforts.

One day, a religious leader asked Jesus about God’s great commandments. When Jesus advised the man that he was to love his neighbor, the man asked, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied by telling the story of some poor guy who got mugged on a desert road. After two different religious leaders passed by, avoiding this victim, it was a Samaritan who stopped and rendered aid, demonstrating his compassion. (The Jews despised the Samaritans, feeling that they were a mongrel race of idol worshipers.) Imagine the shock of this religious leader when Jesus made a Samaritan the hero of his story.

Many of us have heard the story of the Good Samaritan, but would we have had compassion on the assault victim or would we have slipped by on the other side of the road, unwilling to become involved? If we had lived at the time of Job, would we have been willing to help dress his sores and tolerate his halitosis, or would we have avoided passing by his house? May God help us so that we are willing to reach out to those whose faith is being tested by physical, financial, or emotional suffering!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, give us eyes to see the needs around us and ears to hear the cries for help. Let our hearts break with the things that break Your heart! In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Bildad: God Punishes the Wicked

“Then Bildad the Shuhite replied: “How long until you end these speeches? Show some sense, and then we can talk. Why are we regarded as cattle, as stupid in your sight? You who tear yourself in anger—should the earth be forsaken on your account, or the rocks be moved from their place?

Indeed, the lamp of the wicked is extinguished; the flame of his fire does not glow. The light in his tent grows dark, and the lamp beside him goes out. His vigorous stride is shortened, and his own schemes trip him up. For his own feet lead him into a net, and he wanders into its mesh. A trap seizes his heel; a snare grips him. A noose is hidden in the ground, and a trap lies in his path. Terrors frighten him on every side and harass his every step. His strength is depleted, and calamity is ready at his side. It devours patches of his skin; the firstborn of death devours his limbs. He is torn from the shelter of his tent and is marched off to the king of terrors. Fire resides in his tent; brimstone is scattered over his home.

The roots beneath him dry up, and the branches above him wither away. The memory of him perishes from the earth, and he has no name in the land. He is driven from light into darkness and is chased from the inhabited world. He has no offspring or posterity among his people, no survivor where he once lived. Those in the west are appalled at his fate, while those in the east tremble in horror. Surely such is the dwelling of the wicked and the place of one who does not know God.”

Well, here’s Bildad back for another round of insults. Bildad is offended! Bildad demands R*E*S*P*E*C*T* and he wants it NOW! ““Then Bildad the Shuhite replied: “How long until you end these speeches? Show some sense, and then we can talk. Why are we regarded as cattle, as stupid in your sight?” We cannot be sure if Bildad is the senior among the delegation, but he certainly has a very high opinion of himself. Not once has Job implied that his accusers are less than human; however, he has attempted to defend himself from their false charges. Evidently, Bildad has come with the idea that no matter how Job has received the others, he will listen to Bildad because Bildad is wiser than the rest of them put together.  But Job is not following Bildad’s script and Bildad is incensed!

The rest of this chapter consists of Bildad describing the sufferings of the wicked, including every gory detail he can imagine. You can almost see Bildad drooling at the thought of Job’s downfall. What are Bildad’s key points?

1. “Indeed, the lamp of the wicked is extinguished; the flame of his fire does not glow. The light in his tent grows dark, and the lamp beside him goes out. His vigorous stride is shortened, and his own schemes trip him up. For his own feet lead him into a net, and he wanders into its mesh.” Bildad wants to believe that the wicked die of their own wickedness. Too bad that isn’t always true. Many times, God actually prolongs the lives of the wicked to give them time to repent. God is far kinder than Bildad.
2. “The roots beneath him dry up, and the branches above him wither away. The memory of him perishes from the earth, and he has no name in the land. He is driven from light into darkness and is chased from the inhabited world. He has no offspring or posterity among his people, no survivor where he once lived.” Again, Bildad is wrong and these statements are particularly vicious because Bildad is implying that God killed Job’s children because of Job’s secret sins. The plain fact is that God is righteous and we are not. Romans 3:23 tells us that “all have sinned and have come short of the glory of God.” If God wiped out people on the basis of sin alone, there would be nobody left on earth.
3. “Those in the west are appalled at his fate, while those in the east tremble in horror. Surely such is the dwelling of the wicked and the place of one who does not know God.”  Hmm! Once more we suspect that Bildad has been envying Job for years and is gloating over the spoilage of Job’s reputation throughout the Middle East. Perhaps Bildad has actually come in hope of witnessing Job’s death so he can make a wonderful and hypocritical oration at the funeral!

APPLICATION: It begs the question to observe that Bildad is the nastiest of Job’s friends. Sadly, Bildad’s accusations continue to be repeated to grieving families. “This tragedy happened because you weren’t a good enough believer.” “Your child/children/wife/husband died because you didn’t give/pray/work hard enough.” LIES! All of these accusations are LIES!

We are living in a fallen sinful world, a world in which good men and women can make bad choices with terrible consequences. Throughout the world, there are many national economies that are failing. The leaders who have made ill-fated choices may have had the best of motives but the results are obvious. People can build structures in earthquake zones because they have nowhere else to build. People can design roads and bridges that look wonderful but ultimately fail. These days there’s an entire reality TV show devoted to massive engineering disasters; the lesson from this program is that well – educated and experienced people can still make mistakes with deadly consequences. Romans 3:23 still applies. None of us can be justified before God because all of us have sinned and have fallen far short of His glory.

Bildad obviously does not know the God of the universe, although it’s possible that he may have worshiped a number of teraphim, small portable deities. God is not sitting in heaven waiting to zap people with lightning bolts. Despite all Job’s complaints, Job still has a much larger vision of God than do any of his accusers.

Perhaps you find yourself in Job’s position. Something terrible has happened and now “comforters” are crawling out of the woodwork and offering specious advice. Many of these people will claim to be speaking on behalf of God. But God is neither deaf nor mute and He is perfectly capable of speaking for Himself. If someone comes to you, claiming he knows God’s will for your life, run as fast as you can in the opposite direction! While God may use someone to confirm what He is already telling you, He will not send someone to give you directions in the first place. Sometimes such people have good intentions but other times, those people are simply attempting to gain control over you. If you feel that your prayers are only reaching the ceiling, be encouraged! Many fine men and women of God have felt the same way and yet God has heard their prayers and has answered them. God’s answers do not depend on your feelings!

So as we leave Bildad spouting off yet once more, remember that this chapter is not the end of the Book of Job. Hang on, for better things are coming.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us are tired and discouraged! We have listened to so much advice that we are totally confused. Speak to our hearts, calm us, give us Your peace, and help us to see the next steps You want us to take. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Job Prepares for Death

“My spirit is broken; my days are extinguished; the grave awaits me. Surely mockers surround me, and my eyes must gaze at their rebellion. Give me, I pray, the pledge You demand. Who else will be my guarantor? You have closed their minds to understanding; therefore You will not exalt them. If a man denounces his friends for a price, the eyes of his children will fail.

He has made me a byword among the people, a man in whose face they spit. My eyes have grown dim with grief, and my whole body is but a shadow. The upright are appalled at this, and the innocent are stirred against the godless. Yet a righteous one holds to his way, and the one with clean hands grows stronger.

But come back and try again, all of you. For I will not find a wise man among you. My days have passed; my plans are broken off—even the desires of my heart. They have turned night into day, making light seem near in the face of darkness. If I look for Sheol as my home, if I spread out my bed in darkness, and say to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ or ‘My sister,’ where then is my hope? Who can see any hope for me? Will it go down to the gates of Sheol? Will we go down together into the dust?”

 At this point, Job feels completely hopeless. “My spirit is broken; my days are extinguished; the grave awaits me.”  Job begs God to tell him what pledge he must make to guarantee he will live because Job is at his wits end.

“You have closed their minds to understanding; therefore You will not exalt them. If a man denounces his friends for a price, the eyes of his children will fail.” Hmm. This passage introduces a new thought: have Job’s “friends” actually been denouncing him because someone who has envied Job is paying them? Until now, we have assumed that Job’s comforters mean well but are simply thick – headed; what if all this verbal acid has come at a price?  

“He has made me a byword among the people, a man in whose face they spit. My eyes have grown dim with grief, and my whole body is but a shadow.” Social media has always existed, but in Job’s day it was not electronic; instead, people would gossip and some particularly vicious individual might even make up mocking songs and sing them in the streets. If the tune was catchy enough, soon everybody would pick up the words. Evidently, at least one or more of Job’s comforters spat in Job’s face, presumably after Job scorned their advice.

“The upright are appalled at this, and the innocent are stirred against the godless. Yet a righteous one holds to his way, and the one with clean hands grows stronger.” Job still clings to his innocence despite all the accusations of secret sin. “But come back and try again, all of you. For I will not find a wise man among you.” Job realizes that his accusers have spoken out of the depths of ignorance; while they have exhibited 1 millimeter of wisdom, their ignorance appears bottomless.

“If I look for Sheol as my home, if I spread out my bed in darkness, and say to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ or ‘My sister,’ where then is my hope? Who can see any hope for me? Will it go down to the gates of Sheol? Will we go down together into the dust?” Job would like to give up on life; however, he simply cannot. The situation appears hopeless; yet, even at this point, Job refuses to totally give up.

APPLICATION: Why do people enjoy witnessing the sudden downfall of the rich and famous? If a nameless person in a small town loses everything and goes bankrupt, that news scarcely makes a ripple in the public notice. But let a movie star or a famous recording artist or someone on the Forbes list of the world’s wealthiest people lose everything and mainstream new media will speak of little else. When Job lost everything and his body erupted in sores, it was the equivalent of Bill Gates suddenly developing MRSA and going bankrupt at the same time. Such viciousness can only be due to envy, or what my late mother used to call “green – eyed monster.”

The longer we proceed through the Book of Job, the more we realize that Job’s comforters are actually gloaters; they have been secretly envying Job all these years. Now that Job’s fortunes and health have failed, now that his family has been wiped out, these men are jumping in with their accusations and insinuations. What could possibly make anyone behave this way?

Perhaps Job’s friends have found it difficult to justify why Job has succeeded while they have not and have run out of excuses for themselves. If Job’s friends have envied him all these years, his downfall would justify their inability to equal his previous success. What a relief to believe that Job has been secretly sinning so that he has deserved all this suffering and that all his previous success has just been a facade. What a relief to be able to lecture someone who has previously appeared as a paragon of wisdom. “Well, Job isn’t so hot; just look what has happened to him! I always knew there had to be something wrong there.”

Job’s wife doesn’t come in for much attention in this book, apart from her advising Job to curse God and die. But this is a woman who has previously lived in luxury with a lovely family and loads of servants. Now Job’s wife has also been reduced to extreme poverty while she copes with a husband covered with running sores who is sitting in an ash heap and scratching himself with a broken pottery shard. By this point, Job’s wife might be afraid to fetch water at the usual time for fear of what her neighbors will say to her or about her. All Job’s wife’s friends have probably deserted her; after all, she can’t afford to entertain them as she used to. While Mrs. Job might not be suffering physically, emotionally, she is bereft.  

The key thing to remember here is that God has not abandoned Job or his wife. Despite appearances. God is continuing to sustain this couple because the story does not end here. Sometimes we are tempted to despair when things don’t go as we have hoped; yet, God is always working and He always has several different aims in view. Perhaps you can identify with Job. Your life appears to have fallen apart and you are losing hope. But don’t give up! God can still open new doors and provide for you in ways you cannot imagine.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, there are many reading these words who are losing hope that their situation will ever improve. Please speak to their hearts and help them to see the provision You have already made for them. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Job Decries His Comforters

“Then Job answered: “I have heard many things like these; miserable comforters are you all. Is there no end to your long-winded speeches? What provokes you to continue testifying? I could also speak like you if you were in my place; I could heap up words against you and shake my head at you. But I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation of my lips would bring relief.

Even if I speak, my pain is not relieved, and if I hold back, how will it go away? Surely He has now exhausted me; You have devastated all my family. You have bound me, and it has become a witness; my frailty rises up and testifies against me. His anger has torn me and hated me; He gnashes His teeth at me. My adversary pierces me with His eyes. They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me.

God has delivered me to unjust men; He has thrown me to the clutches of the wicked. I was at ease, but He shattered me; He seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has set me up as His target; His archers surround me. He pierces my kidneys without mercy and spills my gall on the ground. He breaks me with wound upon wound; He rushes me like a mighty warrior.

I have sewn sackcloth over my skin; I have buried my horn in the dust. My face is red with weeping, and deep shadows ring my eyes; yet my hands are free of violence and my prayer is pure. O earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry for help never be laid to rest. Even now my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is on high! My friends are my scoffers as my eyes pour out tears to God. Oh, that a man might plead with God as he pleads with his neighbor! For when only a few years are past I will go the way of no return.”

Job still has boils covering his entire body; the itching alone is enough to drive him crazy. And the men he has viewed as friends all these years have turned out to be hypocrites. As long as Job was prosperous and his acquaintances could bask in reflected glory and enjoy his hospitality, all was well. But now that Job has lost everything, these men are finally showing their true colors – Black! Black! Black! Having this bunch around is akin to entertaining a bunch of croaking ravens; all they can do is to make noise, peck at him,  and search for food.

“Then Job answered: “I have heard many things like these; miserable comforters are you all. Is there no end to your long-winded speeches?”  When people refer to the patience of Job, part of that patience includes listening to blowhards who are fond of the sound of their own voices. But Job is exhausted emotionally, physically, and spiritually. One pastor friend sent me the title of a book that these guys could have written: “Can I have his golf clubs and 100 other stupid things said at funerals.” If there had been any livestock left after Job’s children died, these guys might have been asking for their camels!

“But I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation of my lips would bring relief.” In the past, Job has been the one doing the comforting. But Job has been sincere in his attempts, not at all like his friends. “Even if I speak, my pain is not relieved, and if I hold back, how will it go away?” Long before Job’s friends appeared, Job was already trying every remedy he could think of to get relief. But whether or not Job has complained, the pain is still there.

“Surely He has now exhausted me; You have devastated all my family. You have bound me, and it has become a witness; my frailty rises up and testifies against me.” Here Job is addressing God, alternately referring to Him in the first person and then in the third person. Job’s complain is simple: he is only human while God is divine and all-powerful. Why can’t God just allow Job to die? Job feels as if God has attacked him as would a mighty warrior, smashing every part of his body, including his kidneys, his liver, and his gall bladder. 

“They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me.” Here it appears that Job’s friends may even have resorted to slapping his face when he refused to accept their accusations. “I have sewn sackcloth over my skin; I have buried my horn in the dust.” Horns were symbols of power and authority. Here Job is indicating that he has given up everything that would mark him as a man of importance.

“O earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry for help never be laid to rest. Even now my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is on high! My friends are my scoffers as my eyes pour out tears to God. Oh, that a man might plead with God as he pleads with his neighbor! For when only a few years are past I will go the way of no return.” Amazingly, Job continues to trust that God is still listening and that he has a witness in heaven. What Job cannot know but what we do is  that this prayer of Job’s has been answered repeatedly throughout the centuries. Truly, Job’s cry for help has never been laid to rest because God has allowed this account to be preserved. Even while Job is in the depths of despair, God is answering Job’s heart – cries.

APPLICATION: For the last twenty years I have had a very mild form of fibromyalgia. If I think about it, every joint in my body hurts and there are some mornings when the soles of my feet pain me as I get out of bed. I cope by working and exercising; however, there are others who struggle with far worse chronic problems. One prayer partner faces cancer, heart problems, neurologic problems and family upheavals sufficient for several soap operas. A wise man in my home town who battled ill health himself once told my mother that “much of the world’s work gets done by folks who don’t feel very well.” Throughout the world, there are many brave people who work, raise families, and go on despite all their suffering. People who truly suffer can certainly identify with Job as he describes his frailty! And if some of these people beg God for relief, who can blame them?

Even though Job is suffering physically, perhaps his worst trial is the false accusations of those who are supposed to encourage him. These guys are even willing to slap Job in the face when he refuses to accept their insults. Few things are worse than being misunderstood. Another point to consider: why do we think that these men would keep anything to themselves? If Job’s “comforters” are so willing to attack him, it’s likely that they will also go out into the community spreading all kinds of lies, thus increasing Job’s suffering even further.

Suffering physically, bearing insults, and being misunderstood – Job is enduring through most of the torments that have plagued mankind since the beginning of time. But what does the Bible say about Job? Ezekiel 14 documents God’s view of Job. Repeatedly, God ranks Job with Noah and Daniel as men of faith and righteousness. James 5:10-11 tells us, “Brothers, as an example of patience in affliction, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. See how blessed we consider those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”  All the time Job is caught in misery and believing that God doesn’t care about him, God is actually marveling at Job’s perseverance. Job feels his trials are worthless, but God values them so much that He points to Job as a sterling example of righteousness.

Are you suffering physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually? Take heart! God is still on the throne and He IS full of compassion and mercy. God may not deliver you out of your problems, but God can give you the strength to endure them, just as He did for Job. And as you suffer, remember that there are others around you who may need encouragement from someone who gets it. The pain you are bearing may be the very thing that will help you save someone else from despair. 

Many years ago, I was working with a nurse who had just escaped an abusive marriage. This lady’s worst scars were not physical but emotional. When I was trying to encourage my friend, she said, “You don’t understand!” I answered, “Well, let me see. Right now you are feeling ­­­_______. And you have told yourself ______. And you are worried about _______.” There was a moment of stunned silence and then my friend asked, “How do you know all this?” I answered, “Because I’ve been there!” That was the day I realized that God could redeem my pain and using it to help others.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, thank You that You are not only the Healer but also the Source of all hope and strength. Help those of us who are suffering to see that You have a purpose in all this and that You can redeem everything to work for Your glory. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Eliphaz: Job Does Not Fear God

“Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied: “Does a wise man answer with empty counsel or fill his belly with the hot east wind? Should he argue with useless words or speeches that serve no purpose? But you even undermine the fear of God and hinder meditation before Him. For your iniquity instructs your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty. Your own mouth, not mine, condemns you; your own lips testify against you.

Were you the first man ever born? Were you brought forth before the hills? Do you listen in on God’s council or limit wisdom to yourself? What do you know that we do not? What do you understand that is not clear to us? Both the gray-haired and the aged are on our side—men much older than your father. Are the consolations of God not enough for you, even words spoken gently to you? Why has your heart carried you away, and why do your eyes flash, as you turn your spirit against God and pour such words from your mouth?

What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous? If God puts no trust in His holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in His eyes, how much less man, who is vile and corrupt, who drinks injustice like water?

Listen to me and I will inform you. I will describe what I have seen, what was declared by wise men and was not concealed from their fathers, to whom alone the land was given when no foreigner passed among them. A wicked man writhes in pain all his days; only a few years are reserved for the ruthless. Sounds of terror fill his ears; in his prosperity the destroyer attacks him. He despairs of his return from darkness; he is marked for the sword. He wanders about as food for vultures; he knows the day of darkness is at hand.

Distress and anguish terrify him, overwhelming him like a king poised to attack. For he has stretched out his hand against God and has vaunted himself against the Almighty, rushing headlong at Him with his thick, studded shield. Though his face is covered with fat and his waistline bulges with flesh, he will dwell in ruined cities, in abandoned houses destined to crumble. He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure. His possessions will not overspread the land. He will not escape from the darkness; the flame will wither his shoots, and the breath of God’s mouth will carry him away.

Let him not deceive himself with trust in emptiness, for emptiness will be his reward. It will be paid in full before his time, and his branch will not flourish. He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes, like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms. For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery. They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb is pregnant with deceit.”

WOW! With friends like Eliphaz, Job certainly doesn’t need any enemies! Even though Eliphaz has allegedly come to mourn with Job, it is now quite apparent that Eliphaz has had a far different agenda all this time. Eliphaz has been sitting in the background just WAITING for the chance to dump on Job, and now he’s dumping with a vengeance.

“But you even undermine the fear of God and hinder meditation before Him. For your iniquity instructs your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty. Your own mouth, not mine, condemns you; your own lips testify against you.”  Even though Job has continued to honor God despite his frustrations with Him, Eliphaz now accuses Job of unbelief and lies about God. It’s almost as if Elphaz hasn’t listened to a thing Job has said but has been structuring his attack all the time he has been with Job.

“What do you know that we do not? What do you understand that is not clear to us? Both the gray-haired and the aged are on our side—men much older than your father.” Eliphaz wants to believe that he has tapped into ancient wisdom while Job has not; meanwhile, Job has worshiped God for years while Eliphaz’s knowledge is all second – hand.

“Are the consolations of God not enough for you, even words spoken gently to you?” What consolations and what gentle words are we talking about? So far, Job’s friends have engaged in a lot of verbiage devoid of either consolation or gentleness. Now Eliphaz is mounting an attack that is anything but gentle.

“What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?” One might well ask, “Who is Eliphaz, that he should be pure or righteous? And then Eliphaz continues to give gory details about all the suffering of the wicked, implying that Job must be suffering because of his wickedness. But Eliphaz is very wrong. Most of us can think of prominent wicked people who appear to enjoy a luxurious life style, not the deprivation Eliphaz is describing. Again, Eliphaz appears to have been envying Job for a long time. Now that Job has lost everything, Eliphaz chooses to believe that God is punishing Job for secret sins, and frankly Eliphaz is thrilled. It’s almost as if Eliphaz is hoping that Job will suffer even more.

APPLICATION: Of all the so-called friends who have come to sympathize with Job, Eliphaz is by far the hardest – hearted. Eliphaz accuses Job of things Job never said and beliefs Job never held. Eliphaz also has a very high opinion of himself, perhaps because he is the oldest in the delegation. (Note the references to “men much older than your father.”It’s as if Eliphaz views Job as a cockroach that God is attempting to eliminate. Eliphaz believes Job to be harboring secret sins; meanwhile, Job actually has been found blameless before God and it is that purity that has attracted Satan’s attention.

Sadly, we encountered someone with an Eliphaz spirit in a church prayer ministry. We had just returned from our first mission term, a grueling two-year mission assignment. We had reservations about the project before we started, and every one of those reservations had been proven true. We had been under intense spiritual and physical attack and had received little or no encouragement from our fellow missionaries or from the group that had sent us in the first place. When we reported problems that had existed long before we arrived on the mission field, our sending agency blamed us. Now we were in a large church with a prayer ministry, hoping for some comfort and relief. Imagine our despair when the leader of the prayer ministry immediately informed us that we should take full responsibility for everything that had gone wrong.

We were devastated! This woman failed to get any details from us before reaching this conclusion and we could only assume that she was angry that the project hadn’t turned out to be a text book success. There might also have been another thing in play as well. Since our first term, we have encountered a number of people within the Christian community who have probably been called to do something and who have refused that call. Such people are incredibly resentful of those of us who have answered the calling God has placed on our lives. Such people rejoice when they see a missionary suffer because that validates their refusal to respond to God.

We learned two things from this disaster: never trust someone who has not been a full – time missionary for several years to understand problems on a mission field. Short – term missionaries may easily come back with their rose – colored glasses firmly in place. The second thing we learned was to thoroughly investigate any group offering counseling before trusting ourselves to that group. Blessedly, we later counseled with Rick Fowler at Minrith Meier Clinic in Dallas. Rick succeeded in undoing much of the damage the first group had done, but he had a difficult time. (Rick grew up on a mission field.) The time spent in Dallas was helpful for a number of reasons and eventually led to a great deal of healing.

What can those of us who counsel the grieving learn from Eliphaz? Try as much as possible to really listen to someone, rather than simply biding your time until you can jump in with your pre-conceived notions. And above all, be genuinely kind. Don’t blather on about gentleness while you are lacerating someone’s feelings. God hates liars.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to be sensitive to the hurting so that we bring healing and not more damage. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Job Laments the Finality of Death

“Man, who is born of woman, is short of days and full of trouble. Like a flower, he comes forth, then withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure. Do You open your eyes to one like this?

Will You bring him into judgment before You? Who can bring out clean from unclean? No one!

Since his days are determined and the number of his months is with You, and since You have set limits

that he cannot exceed, look away from him and let him rest, so he can enjoy his day as a hired hand.

For there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its tender shoots will not fail. If its roots grow old in the ground and its stump dies in the soil, at the scent of water it will bud and put forth twigs like a sapling. But a man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last, and where is he?

As water disappears from the sea and a river becomes parched and dry, so man lies down and does not rise. Until the heavens are no more, he will not be awakened or roused from sleep. If only You would hide me in Sheol and conceal me until Your anger passes. If only You would appoint a time for me and then remember me. When a man dies, will he live again?

All the days of my hard service I will wait, until my relief comes. You will call, and I will answer; You will desire the work of Your hands. For then You would count my steps, but would not keep track of my sin. My transgression would be sealed in a bag, and You would cover over my iniquity.

But as a mountain erodes and crumbles and a rock is dislodged from its place, as water wears away stones and torrents wash away the soil, so You destroy a man’s hope. You forever overpower him, and he passes on; You change his countenance and send him away. If his sons receive honor, he does not know it; if they are brought low, he is unaware. He feels only the pain of his own body and mourns only for himself.”

““Man, who is born of woman, is short of days and full of trouble…. For there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its tender shoots will not fail. If its roots grow old in the ground and its stump dies in the soil, at the scent of water it will bud and put forth twigs like a sapling. But a man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last, and where is he?”  Job really has a grudge against God and he wants to make sure God knows it! Why should God have made humans so ephemeral, their lives so short, only for them to die and disappear? At least trees can bring forth new buds from stumps. According to Job, God handles trees more fairly than He handles humans. At this point, Job believes he will never have any more children, so there will be nobody to carry on his name.  

But Job is a bit confused because later on, Job continues. “If only You would hide me in Sheol and conceal me until Your anger passes. If only You would appoint a time for me and then remember me. When a man dies, will he live again?”  Job isn’t really sure whether he wants to live or die, but Job is sure that God is not just. Why can’t God just allow Job to enjoy the remainder of his short life without persecuting him?

“All the days of my hard service I will wait, until my relief comes. You will call, and I will answer; You will desire the work of Your hands. For then You would count my steps, but would not keep track of my sin. My transgression would be sealed in a bag, and You would cover over my iniquity.” Despite earlier accusing God of unfairness, Job continues to hope that God will again recognize him and give him relief. But this momentary spark of hope is followed by more despair.

“But as a mountain erodes and crumbles and a rock is dislodged from its place, as water wears away stones and torrents wash away the soil, so You destroy a man’s hope. You forever overpower him, and he passes on; You change his countenance and send him away. If his sons receive honor, he does not know it; if they are brought low, he is unaware. He feels only the pain of his own body and mourns only for himself.” Job views himself as a mountain that has crumbled away, with nothing left to show for his life.

APPLICATION: Job is angry with God because life is so short and death so permanent. Why is this anger a good sign? While Job may be angry with God, he is nowhere near ready to commit suicide. Job still wants to live and he wants life to be better. Even though Job asks God “why don’t you just hide me in Sheol?” Job is not really serious. If God hides Job somewhere, then God can also retrieve Job and make him suffer more.

People who struggle with depression do not commit suicide when they are on the way down or when they are at their lowest. A severely depressed person doesn’t have the energy to commit suicide. It is people who are recovering so they are strong enough to do something and hopeless enough for suicide to seem desirable.

Notice something else: throughout all of Job’s complaints, he never ceases to acknowledge God’s power or His sovereignty. Job might be angry with God because he thinks God is punishing him unfairly, but he still believes that God rules the universe. Job’s problem is not a lack of faith; Job is angry because he believes God is the Author of everything good. Job feels God has arbitrarily singled him out to torment him when God can easily do him good instead. “God, why can’t You pick on someone else for a change?”

If this is your first exposure to the Book of Job, I don’t want to spoil it for you by revealing the ending. But there is a happy ending to Job’s sufferings. Why then does God make Job endure all this physical and emotional suffering?

Wealth and ease teach very few lessons. Most people learn far more from poverty and struggle than from comfort. Job is no different. As we continue through Job, we watch Job gradually being refined as God strips away Job’s cherished beliefs about himself. Eventually, God does reveal Himself to Job in a mind – blowing fashion. Many of us might identify with Job, and if you do, hang on. God has yet to write the last chapter in your story!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust where we cannot see. Help us to believe in Your goodness and mercy and grace even when they seem to delay in arriving. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Job Reproves His Friends

“Behold, my eyes have seen all this; my ears have heard and understood. What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you.

Yet I desire to speak to the Almighty and argue my case before God.

You, however, smear with lies; you are all worthless physicians. If only you would remain silent; for that would be your wisdom!

Hear now my argument, and listen to the plea of my lips. Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf or speak deceitfully for Him? Would you show Him partiality or argue in His defense? Would it be well when He examined you? Could you deceive Him like a man? Surely He would rebuke you if you secretly showed partiality. Would His majesty not terrify you? Would the dread of Him not fall upon you?

Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay. Be silent, and I will speak. Then let come to me what may. Why do I put myself at risk and take my life in my own hands? Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. I will still defend my ways to His face.

Moreover, this will be my salvation, for no godless man can appear before Him.

Listen carefully to my words; let my declaration ring in your ears.

Behold, now that I have prepared my case, I know that I will be vindicated. Can anyone indict me? If so, I will be silent and die.

Only grant these two things to me, so that I need not hide from You:

Withdraw Your hand from me, and do not let Your terror frighten me. Then call me, and I will answer, or let me speak, and You can reply.

How many are my iniquities and sins? Reveal to me my transgression and sin. Why do You hide Your face and consider me as Your enemy? Would You frighten a windblown leaf? Would You chase after dry chaff? For You record bitter accusations against me and bequeath to me the iniquities of my youth. You put my feet in the stocks and stand watch over all my paths; You set a limit for the soles of my feet. So man wastes away like something rotten, like a moth-eaten garment.”

“What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you. Yet I desire to speak to the Almighty and argue my case before God.”

Not only is Job fed up with his friends, but he is equally fed up with God. While traditional courtesy forbids Job from telling his friends to leave off and go home, he wants them to realize that his beef is with God. God is the One who has allowed these calamities and now Job wants to plead for himself before God.  

Evidently, in the past, Job has had a vibrant prayer life, an ongoing dialogue with God. But now God is silent and all Job can hear are the voices of his accusers. There is an old saying that “It is far better to remain silent and to be thought wise than to open your mouth and to remove all doubt.” Most of us may appear wise as long as we don’t begin speaking. That is why Job is advising his friends, “If only you would remain silent; for that would be your wisdom!“

“Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf or speak deceitfully for Him?”  Job’s friends have been pretending that they speak for God; yet, Job is certain none of them really know God in the first place. Why? Because people who really know God are far less ready to give easy answers and platitudes than people who only think in meme – type phrases. People who truly know God are far more willing to listen and to remain silent, allowing God to work. The longer we spend with God, the less apt we are to try to act as an amateur providence, inflicting our will on someone in God’s name. Job’s friends have been trying to fix him with words, a useless endeavor.

“Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay.” How many of us have been tempted to say something similar to those who have come as advisors only to accuse us unfairly?

“Though He slay me, I will hope in Him.”  If you do not remember anything else from this chapter, remember verse 14. Job’s faith in God is so complete that he is willing to accept death as God’s perfect will for him. Do not misunderstand; Job still wants the opportunity to argue directly with God. But Job is willing to accept God’s will. Job’s accusers know nothing of such faith.

“Only grant these two things to me, so that I need not hide from You: Withdraw Your hand from me, and do not let Your terror frighten me. Then call me, and I will answer, or let me speak, and You can reply.”  Finally, Job addresses God, asking that God remove His terror and then call Job to speak. This challenge seems amazing, seeing that Job is addressing the Lord of the Universe. But Job believes so firmly that he is righteous that he is even willing to throw down this challenge to God.

APPLICATION: Reading the Book of Job, we marvel at Job’s presumption. Here is one little guy sitting somewhere scratching his boils with a broken piece of pottery and yet he is demanding an audience with the Lord of the Universe. Sounds crazy, no? But Job’s complaints and accusations are the same ones that sufferers have lodged against God ever since creation.

One of my aunts contracted polio during the 1952 epidemic, the last major polio epidemic to hit the U.S. before the vaccine was developed. For the next several years, my aunt was paralyzed from the neck down and forced to live on rocker beds and iron lungs while her family cared for her. My three cousins lost most of their childhood and my uncle lost his health, all while caring for my aunt. I am sure my uncle must have asked God “Why?” many times. I have no idea how God answered him.

In 1980 we lost my beloved mother to a very rare form of cancer that made its own steroids. These steroids depressed her immune system so much that she developed brain abscesses containing two different kinds of fungi. Although my mother was a non-smoker, the cancer was a form of lung cancer generally associated with smoking. My mother’s death tore a hole in our family as well as in our small – town community. In the end, all we could do was to trust that God knew better than we did, but that did not lessen the suffering for any member of my family.

Accidents, illnesses, earthquakes, wars – disasters are everywhere. Job compared himself to a windblown leaf or to chaff. Our lives hang by a thread maintained only by the mercy of God. In the end, the best thing to do is to trust when we cannot see or understand. “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him.”

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many are suffering and are losing hope. Help us to trust where we cannot see, being willing to believe that You are our Deliverer and Protector. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.