Burunche’s Blog

Job 17 Job Continues to Defend His Innocence

“My spirit is crushed, and my life is nearly snuffed out. The grave is ready to receive me. I am surrounded by mockers. I watch how bitterly they taunt me. You must defend my innocence, O God, since no one else will stand up for me. You have closed their minds to understanding, but do not let them triumph. They betray their friends for their own advantage, so let their children faint with hunger.”

Some false friends are like jackals. Jackals wait until a lion has made a kill, hovering at the edge of the situation until they can move in to clean up the leftovers. But if the lion is injured or sick, watch out! Those same jackals that were hoping for the lion’s leftovers will now attack the lion himself. Job feels that he is surrounded by jackal-type people who will betray their friends for their own advantage.

“God has made a mockery of me among the people; they spit in my face. My eyes are swollen with weeping, and I am but a shadow of my former self. The virtuous are horrified when they see me. The innocent rise up against the ungodly. The righteous keep moving forward, and those with clean hands become stronger and stronger.”

The same people who fawned all over Job as long as he was prosperous and could give them things are now spitting in Job’s face. What has Job ever done to hurt these people? When a harvest failed, or animals died, Job gave liberally to save these people and their families. But the ungrateful have very short memories, and their constant litany is “What have you done for me lately?” Even now, despite all Job’s suffering, he remains convinced that innocent people will rise up against the ungodly and the righteous will become stronger and stronger. Job’s problem is simple: He knows he is righteous and innocent, so why does he see himself growing weaker daily?

“As for all of you, come back with a better argument, though I still won’t find a wise man among you. My days are over. My hopes have disappeared. My heart’s desires are broken. These men say that night is day; they claim that the darkness is light.”

Job finds himself surrounded by manipulative pathologic liars. Pathologic liars are one of the pitfalls in life, for an accomplished pathologic liar can convince you that light is dark and black is white. Few things are more frustrating than becoming the target of such a person, for lies have long legs and juicy scandal is always far more interesting than the plain truth. If a pathologic liar has made you a target, you will soon be amazed to learn all the horrible things you have allegedly done. Sadly, such people can even convince authorities of your wrong-doing, unless the person spreading lies begins lying about them. All you can do with such a person is pray for God to deliver you and continue to behave righteously.
“What if I go to the grave and make my bed in darkness? What if I call the grave my father, and the maggot my mother or my sister? Where then is my hope? Can anyone find it? No, my hope will go down with me to the grave. We will rest together in the dust!”

One of Job’s saving graces is that even though he is thoroughly miserable, he really does not want to die. But Job is scrambling to find reasons to live, and his chief desire is for God to prove His love and to rescue Job from this misery and to restore Job’s hope. What Job needs at this point is hope. Romans 15:13 tells us, “May the God of peace fill you with all hope and joy as you trust in Him, so that you might overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Job is clinging to the last vestige of hope that he has because despite all his trials, Job remains hopeful that God is better than He currently appears.

One of the cruelest things a doctor or nurse can do is to take away the hope of a patient or a family. Millenia ago, the Roman playwright Terence used the phrase “Where there’s life, there’s hope.” Terence was brought to Rome from Carthage, Africa as a slave by the Roman senator Terentius Lucanus, who educated him and, later, impressed by his abilities, freed him. Certainly, anybody who began as a slave and wound up as the ward of an important public figure would be qualified to make such a statement. Terence only lived to the age of 30; however, he wrote six plays that remain classics of Roman literature and that have inspired numerous authors, including Shakespeare.

Even when we must give a patient or a family bad news, we must endeavor to put as positive a spin on it as possible. Recently, we lost a 1100-gram premature infant in our NICU. When breaking the news to the family, we began by recounting the problems the infant had encountered since birth, reminding them of the child’s problems with breathing and failure to tolerate breast milk feedings. We then progressed to describing the events of the final 24 hours of the child’s life. While the family realized that the child was dead, this progressive description allowed them to understand why the child died and to begin to come to grips with the reality of the death.

In an earlier age, someone might describe themselves as being “a shadow of my former self.” That phrase originates in Job 17:7 and is generally understood to mean that the person in question has faced deterioration of some sort. But even as this chapter is finishing, Job is still clinging to hope, although now he believes he and his hope are about to die. Job is complaining, but still holding on to hope.

Perhaps you can sympathize with Job; you feel trapped in a hopeless situation. Take heart! God is still on the throne, and “as long as there’s life, there’s hope.” Psalm 130:7-8 tells us, “O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is unfailing love. His redemption overflows. He himself will redeem Israel from every kind of sin.”  Even when we are facing severe trials, we can still hope in the same God who has redeemed Israel, for He does not play favorites and He will equally redeem us.

PRRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, please restore our hope with Your love and Your grace. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Job 16 Job’s Fifth Speech: A Response to Eliphaz

“Then Job spoke again: “I have heard all this before. What miserable comforters you are! Won’t you ever stop blowing hot air? What makes you keep on talking? I could say the same things if you were in my place. I could spout off criticism and shake my head at you. But if it were me, I would encourage you. I would try to take away your grief. Instead, I suffer if I defend myself, and I suffer no less if I refuse to speak.”

Ever notice that when someone is determined to declare your guilt, you have no means of defense? If you speak, your adversary will twist your words, and if you remain silent, your adversary will claim your silence is evidence of your guilt. Eliphaz is that kind of guy. Truth and Eliphaz have no relationship. Eliphaz has made up his mind; don’t confuse him with the facts!

“O God, you have ground me down and devastated my family. As if to prove I have sinned, you’ve reduced me to skin and bones. My gaunt flesh testifies against me. God hates me and angrily tears me apart. He snaps his teeth at me and pierces me with his eyes. People jeer and laugh at me. They slap my cheek in contempt. A mob gathers against me. God has handed me over to sinners. He has tossed me into the hands of the wicked.”  Sadly, in every community there are always human jackals, people waiting for an excuse to tear someone else apart. All these years, Job has assumed that God is good and benevolent. Job knows about the malcontents in his community; however, now he is being attacked by those whom he thought were friends, including God.

“I was living quietly until he shattered me. He took me by the neck and broke me in pieces.
Then he set me up as his target, and now his archers surround me. His arrows pierce me without mercy. The ground is wet with my blood. Again and again he smashes against me, charging at me like a warrior. I wear burlap to show my grief. My pride lies in the dust. My eyes are red with weeping; dark shadows circle my eyes. Yet I have done no wrong, and my prayer is pure.”

Job is an honest man. Had Job committed some terrible sin, he would have expected retribution from God. But Job has been searching his heart and straining to remember anything he has done that might make God attack him. Job is baffled, for he has no idea what he might have done. Many times, we assume that God is attacking us when it is actually Satan. We live in a fallen sinful world, and Satan has full opportunities to try to destroy those who have been serving God. When such attacks come, we blame God rather than blaming the Father of Lies. No matter what happens, God has not changed; He remains good throughout all time. Our biggest and most demanding task is to hold on and trust in God’s goodness, even in the face of terrible evil.

“O earth, do not conceal my blood. Let it cry out on my behalf. Even now my witness is in heaven. My advocate is there on high. My friends scorn me, but I pour out my tears to God. I need someone to mediate between God and me, as a person mediates between friends. For soon I must go down that road from which I will never return.” Can earth bear witness on anybody’s behalf? Yes. The Sentinel Organization has documented numerous cases where non-productive infertile land has suddenly produced magnificently when those working it have repented and gotten right with God. For concrete proof, check out the Transformation  series at https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=mcafee&p=transformations+video+george+otis+jr&type=E210US105G0#id=3&vid=c4e281271381589ca323ad821dd203a5&action=click These videos document the reviving of land in Fiji, in Guatemala, Kenya, and many other places. I am a farmer’s daughter, and I can testify that land that is farmed with love and passion bears far more than land that is farmed with indifference.

Even in despair, Job continues to trust that someone can reason with God on his behalf. The use of mediators or go-betweens is a common one throughout Africa. When selecting such a person, one must be certain that they will represent honestly, fairly, and discretely. In some situations, the advocate must have an excellent command of the formalities in whatever language is being spoken, for there might be taboos that will otherwise be violated.

Years ago, we found ourselves trapped in an unfortunate living situation in which we were verbally assaulted on a daily basis. Only the intervention of two friends who were both royals and who both spoke “court Twi” granted us deliverance and relief.  Here Job is hoping and longing for someone who can speak God’s language and plead his case.

Job is also concerned, for he has no idea how much more his battered body can stand. Sometimes when we are suffering, we feel as if we will shatter if one more stressful thing is dumped upon us. But God remains faithful, and He can provide ways of escape. Viewed in the light of history, we know that Job will yet suffer more at the hands of his alleged friends but will eventually emerge with God’s favor. Many of us want swift relief and give up on God far too early; meanwhile, God is trying to fit us for a greater work, one that can only be accomplished by our enduring pain.

The biggest problem with Job’s comforters is that they have never suffered very much. Perhaps these men might have had one or two bad farming seasons, or someone has cheated them in a business deal. But none of these men has endured repeated suffering that continues for days, weeks, months, and even years. When Joni Earickson Tada dove into shallow water at the age of seventeen, breaking her neck, she thought her life was over. But in the decades that have followed, Joni has become an artist, a singer, and the founder of Joni and Friends, a group that advocates internationally for disabled people, and the author of 48 books. Because of quadriplegia, Joni produces her paintings and drawings by holding pens and brushes in her mouth.

 Joni is a breast cancer survivor and has spoken to cancer patients on many occasions through radio programs and videos. Now at the age of 76, Joni continues to minister to millions of people through videos, radio and TV programs. If anybody might sympathize with Job, it would be Joni Earickson Tada. Despite all these problems, Joni continues to witness to God’s goodness and faithfulness.

“l know just how you feel” must be one of the least helpful and most hurtful phrases ever uttered to someone with chronic pain. Nobody knows exactly how someone else feels, except for God. Equally hurtful are pious sentiments. There’s a wry saying that “They told me ‘cheer up, it might be worse,’ and sure enough, I cheered up and it got worse!” Far better to find small practical means of helping. Talk is cheap, but help is dear. Be a helper!

PRAYER:  Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to be encouragers and not attackers for those suffering. Give us Your Heart of Love so that we will heal and not inflict more pain. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Job 15 Eliphaz’s Second Response to Job

Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied: “A wise man wouldn’t answer with such empty talk! You are nothing but a windbag. The wise don’t engage in empty chatter. What good are such words?”

Hoo boy! Eliphaz, tell us how you really feel, why don’t you? Job has been eloquently pouring out his grief, only for Eliphaz, who is in good health and not suffering, to dismiss all Job’s words as “empty chatter.” This might not be so sad, were it not for the fact that there are many people who behave just like Eliphaz. Without having the slightest idea how deeply someone is suffering, these people verbally assault the sufferer, quoting bright platitudes in an effort to make themselves look good.
“Have you no fear of God, no reverence for him? Your sins are telling your mouth what to say. Your words are based on clever deception. Your own mouth condemns you, not I. Your own lips testify against you.” Malarkey! Job’s sins are not pushing him to say things; on the other hand, what’s going on in Eliphaz’s life that he feels it imperative to continue to castigate Job? Strangely enough, many times critics will single out imagined sins while they themselves are the ones actually committing those same sins.

“Were you the first person ever born? Were you born before the hills were made? Were you listening at God’s secret council? Do you have a monopoly on wisdom? What do you know that we don’t? What do you understand that we do not? On our side are aged, gray-haired men much older than your father!” Hmmm. All these years, Job has assumed that Eliphaz has been a friend; meanwhile, it sounds as if Eliphaz has associated with Job for his own purposes. Previously, when Job would speak, Eliphaz would compliment him on his wisdom. Now Eliphaz evidently feels that it’s his turn to lecture. Presumably, Job is older, likely in his fifties or even sixties, so he too is one of the “aged gray-haired men.” While Eliphaz is attempting to shore up his position by alluding to nameless elderly advisors, let’s please remember that not every elderly person is wise. Unfortunately, it’s quite possible to age without learning anything.

“Is God’s comfort too little for you? Is his gentle word not enough? What has taken away your reason? What has weakened your vision, that you turn against God and say all these evil things?” This question twists Job’s motives and mis-represents him. Job has not turned against God; on the contrary, Job is confused. Formerly, Job thought God was his friend; now Job doesn’t know what to think, as God appears to have removed Himself and to be persecuting Job. It’s highly unlikely that Eliphaz has ever enjoyed the kind of relationship with God that Job has.

“Can any mortal be pure? Can anyone born of a woman be just? Look, God does not even trust the angels. Even the heavens are not absolutely pure in his sight. How much less pure is a corrupt and sinful person with a thirst for wickedness!” Say what? Now Eliphaz is implying that Job must be “wicked and corrupt with a thirst for wickedness.” How bizarre! If Job had never endured the losses of his wealth and his family, Eliphaz might have been coming around to enjoy Job’s hospitality in hopes of getting something from Job. At that point, Eliphaz would have been praising Job, talking about how great and kind Job was. Job hasn’t changed; only his circumstances have changed. Eliphaz is giving a graphic demonstration of what it means to be a fair-weather-friend.

“If you will listen, I will show you. I will answer you from my own experience. And it is confirmed by the reports of wise men who have heard the same thing from their fathers—from those to whom the land was given long before any foreigners arrived. The wicked writhe in pain throughout their lives. Years of trouble are stored up for the ruthless. The sound of terror rings in their ears, and even on good days they fear the attack of the destroyer. They dare not go out into the darkness for fear they will be murdered. They wander around, saying, ‘Where can I find bread?’ They know their day of destruction is near. That dark day terrifies them. They live in distress and anguish, like a king preparing for battle. For they shake their fists at God, defying the Almighty. Holding their strong shields, they defiantly charge against him.”

Eliphaz argues that wicked people are always punished and that righteous people don’t suffer; however, that is not necessarily the case. Jesus promised his disciples that they would face tribulations, and he was speaking to men whom he had discipled for three years. Matthw 5:10-12a tells us, “God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven.” Despite Eliphaz’s claims to ancient wisdom, he is the one who is full of hot air.

“These wicked people are heavy and prosperous; their waists bulge with fat. But their cities will be ruined. They will live in abandoned houses that are ready to tumble down. Their riches will not last, and their wealth will not endure. Their possessions will no longer spread across the horizon. They will not escape the darkness. The burning sun will wither their shoots, and the breath of God will destroy them.“ Sorry, but wicked people do not always suffer as Eliphaz is claiming. God orchestrates people’s lives and God is the One who allows wealth to remain or removes it. True, wickedness carries with it its own reward. But these blanket statements from Eliphaz are simply false allegations.

“Let them no longer fool themselves by trusting in empty riches, for emptiness will be their only reward. They will be cut down in the prime of life; their branches will never again be green. They will be like a vine whose grapes are harvested too early, like an olive tree that loses its blossoms before the fruit can form. For the godless are barren. Their homes, enriched through bribery, will burn. They conceive trouble and give birth to evil. Their womb produces deceit.”

Okay, Eliphaz, so now you are implying that Job must have committed some secret sin to be suffering in this fashion? The men who are now lecturing Job and accusing him of all kinds of secret sins evidently believe that having sat with him for seven days and nights gives them carte blanche to say whatever thoughts straggle through their minds. Sadly, when friends suffer, many of us respond in the same fashion.

What Job’s comforters fail to realize is that all the time they are verbally assaulting Job, vaunting their own intelligence and experience, God is watching and listening. The best thing these men have done is to sit shiva with Job; however, after that, it’s all been down-hill. Little do these men realize that God is keeping track of everything they are saying and their false accusations.

Potholes are large cavities that develop when roads are not well maintained. Anyone driving a road with potholes must watch carefully; otherwise, they might wreck their vehicle. Going off the edge of a deep pothole feels a bit like jumping off the edge of the Grand Canyon. Here Eliphaz has blundered into a host of moral potholes and has no idea that he has done so. Eventually, God will take Eliphaz to task, but for now, Eliphaz is simply serving as a bad example. Don’t be like Eliphaz!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to be humble and sensitive when counseling those who are suffering, realizing that You are the only One who knows the human heart. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Job 14 Job continues his frustration with God

 “How frail is humanity! How short is life, how full of trouble! We blossom like a flower and then wither. Like a passing shadow, we quickly disappear. Must you keep an eye on such a frail creature and demand an accounting from me?
Who can bring purity out of an impure person? No one! You have decided the length of our lives. You know how many months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer. So leave us alone and let us rest! We are like hired hands, so let us finish our work in peace.”

Humanity is fragile! The Ashantis have a saying “Nkwa hia,” “Life is precious.” I have seen patients survive long difficult operations; on the other hand, we have had a few patients who have suddenly died without any perceivable reason. Each time I have questioned God, He reminds me that the day that patient was born, He knew the day that patient would die.

“Even a tree has more hope! If it is cut down, it will sprout again and grow new branches. Though its roots have grown old in the earth and its stump decays, at the scent of water it will bud and sprout again like a new seedling. But when people die, their strength is gone. They breathe their last, and then where are they? As water evaporates from a lake and a river disappears in drought, people are laid to rest and do not rise again. Until the heavens are no more, they will not wake up nor be roused from their sleep.”

The photo is that of a tree in our village. Although the tree toppled several years ago, some of the roots have remained intact, allowing the tree to flourish. Job has seen trees such as ours survive and sprout again. But unlike trees, human death is final.

“I wish you would hide me in the grave and forget me there until your anger has passed. But mark your calendar to think of me again! Can the dead live again? If so, this would give me hope through all my years of struggle, and I would eagerly await the release of death. You would call and I would answer, and you would yearn for me, your handiwork. For then you would guard my steps, instead of watching for my sins. My sins would be sealed in a pouch, and you would cover my guilt.

“But instead, as mountains fall and crumble and as rocks fall from a cliff, as water wears away the stones and floods wash away the soil, so you destroy people’s hope. You always overpower them, and they pass from the scene. You disfigure them in death and send them away. They never know if their children grow up in honor or sink to insignificance. They suffer painfully; their life is full of trouble.”

When things were going well, Job trusted God, but now Job’s life has fallen apart and he doesn’t trust God anymore. Job feels that God has destroyed his life just as God brings about natural disasters just as floods. Job is also accusing God of generally spoiling people’s lives. At this point, Job’s faith is sagging.

 Before judging Job too harshly, let’s look at his situation. Job has lost virtually everything; his wife thinks he should curse God and die. When Job hopes for comfort, the friends who show up immediately begin lecturing and blaming him rather than encouraging him. After trusting God for all these years, Job is even beginning to doubt God’s goodness.

Interestingly, by the end of the Book of Job, God commends Job for having spoken properly of Him, unlike Job’s friends. While Job is depressed and discouraged, he still recognizes God as being sovereign and continues to honor God and to acknowledge His greatness and authority.  

What can we do when facing terrible situations from which there is no escape? Even in the depths of despair, we can still praise God. While it is tempting to be swayed by circumstances, we must remember that God is still on the throne and that God is the One who can totally deliver us from all our problems and all our fears.

I love the old hymns, for many times their words express what I cannot. And I am lifted and comforted by these words. May God who has called us give us hope, so that we will continue to follow hard after Him, even in the midst of our trials!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to trust where we cannot see. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.

2 Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;
thy justice like mountains high soaring above
thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.

3 To all life thou givest, to both great and small;
in all life thou livest, the true life of all;
we blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
and wither and perish but naught changeth thee.

4 Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
all praise we would render, O help us to see
’tis only the splendor of light hideth thee.

Job 13 Job Wants to Argue His Case with God

“Look, I have seen all this with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears, and now I understand. I know as much as you do. You are no better than I am. As for me, I would speak directly to the Almighty. I want to argue my case with God himself. As for you, you smear me with lies. As physicians, you are worthless quacks. If only you could be silent! That’s the wisest thing you could do.” Well, Job has final reached the end of his tether and he’s succinctly rebuking his false friends. So far, all these men have done is to blather on, mouthing platitudes that Job knows better than they do.

“Listen to my charge; pay attention to my arguments. “Are you defending God with lies? Do you make your dishonest arguments for his sake? Will you slant your testimony in his favor? Will you argue God’s case for him? What will happen when he finds out what you are doing? Can you fool him as easily as you fool people? No, you will be in trouble with him if you secretly slant your testimony in his favor. Doesn’t his majesty terrify you? Doesn’t your fear of him overwhelm you? Your platitudes are as valuable as ashes. Your defense is as fragile as a clay pot.”

“Be silent now and leave me alone. Let me speak, and I will face the consequences. Why should I put myself in mortal danger and take my life in my own hands? God might kill me, but I have no other hope. I am going to argue my case with him. But this is what will save me—I am not godless. If I were, I could not stand before him.

“Listen closely to what I am about to say. Hear me out. I have prepared my case; I will be proved innocent. Who can argue with me over this? And if you prove me wrong, I will remain silent and die.”

Job is completely fed up and has concluded that he would far rather face God directly than endure the continued slander and pious lectures of his self-styled friends. Now Job is prepared to take God on, trusting that God knows that Job is a godly man, who fears Him.

Job Asks How He Has Sinned

“O God, grant me these two things, and then I will be able to face you. Remove your heavy hand from me, and don’t terrify me with your awesome presence. Now summon me, and I will answer! Or let me speak to you, and you reply. Tell me, what have I done wrong? Show me my rebellion and my sin.

“Why do you turn away from me? Why do you treat me as your enemy? Would you terrify a leaf blown by the wind? Would you chase dry straw? You write bitter accusations against me
and bring up all the sins of my youth. You put my feet in stocks. You examine all my paths. You trace all my footprints. I waste away like rotting wood, like a moth-eaten coat.”

 “O God, grant me these two things, and then I will be able to face you. Remove your heavy hand from me, and don’t terrify me with your awesome presence.” Job hopes that God will neither oppress him nor terrify him if he confronts God. But as Job is speaking, he does feel oppressed. Job feels as if God has brought up every wrong thing Job has done, particularly during his foolish youth. And Job also feels as if his feet are in stocks, binding him to one place without escape. Job might say that he feels as if God has nailed his sandals to the ground, and he cannot move. As Job surveys his body, he sees new sores erupting daily and feels as if he is rotting like termite-ridden wood or like a woolen coat that has been attacked by moths. In this day of synthetic material, clothing moths have become less common; however, clothing moths can literally turn a wool garment into lace if given sufficient opportunity.

Job’s problem here is the problem of many who suffer from chronic problems. One woman just posted a testimony on Facebook about her beloved mother who had been an incisive Bible teacher, only to wind up paralyzed and unable to feed herself when she was severely injured in a car accident. While paralyzed, this faithful woman still could communicate and still could think. In many ways, this injured lady’s plight was quite similar to that of Job-unable to move or escape the torment and forced to lie there and tolerate it. This lady described how she encouraged her mother that lying there and praying and praising the Lord was actually a more magnificent kind of work than she had ever done with her Bible teaching, fruitful as it had been.

Sometimes we suffer because of the circumstances in which we find ourselves. At one point, we were members of a church that had been a vibrant fellowship when we joined it. Unfortunately, later, the man in whose home the church had begun seized control and began trying to severely restrict worship as well as dictating the fashion in which the young preacher should handle things. This major upheaval in the church hit at a time when we were facing a crisis in our personal lives as well; however, God did not allow us to use that crisis as an excuse and demanded that we stay in that congregation and pray until He changed things. We say that God nailed our shoe soles to the floor of that church. Eventually, God sent a new pastor to lead the church, and the first time the man who had been controlling everything tried to dictate things, this man responded, “Well, you’re welcome to accompany me when I make my pastoral visits, but I take my instructions from the Lord.” Once this new pastor was taking up his post, God released us to join a different congregation, one where we could heal and grow.

Two generations ago, company loyalty was prized, and those who began work at such companies might anticipate remaining with them for their entire careers. These days, people change jobs as readily as they change clothes and companies generally demonstrate no sense of commitment to long-time workers. Dedication and self-sacrifice count for little or nothing. Since long-term workers draw bigger salaries, company bean counters love to replace those with experience and judgement with someone lacking both those qualities because a younger employee costs less in the short-term. One of our friends headed the income tax division of a large company in Memphis, only to go into work one morning and find that he was suddenly faced with two choices: take early retirement at the age of 63 or move to Chicago, where the company was re-locating this division. Our friend chose early retirement after working for that company for more than 30 years.

The callous mistreatment many workers endure leaves them reluctant to commit to any corporation; yet, sometimes God will still nail their shoe soles to the floor. What can we do if we find ourselves in such a position? The advice that lady gave her paralyzed mother still applies: pray for those around you and praise God in the midst of your trials. Remember that God is still in management while we are only in advertising; God always is doing far more in our situations than we can possibly imagine. When we glorify God in the midst of our problems, we are standing in opposition to the Devil. God has no other warriors apart from us, and He needs those who will stand firm, no matter what. May God help us, so that when He nails our shoe soles to the floor, we don’t try to slide out of the shoes and escape!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You and to trust You, even when You force us to remain in unpleasant circumstances. We know that You are a good God and that Your ways are higher than ours. Help us to trust where we cannot see and to remain faithful, no matter what. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Job 12 Job Presents His Case

“Then Job answered: “Truly then you are the people with whom wisdom itself will die! But I also have a mind; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these? I am a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God, and He answered. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock. The one at ease scorns misfortune as the fate of those whose feet are slipping. The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure—those who carry their god in their hands.”

When bad things happen to someone who has trusted in God, immediately those around him begin laughing and mocking. “Why did you ever believe God was caring for you? Look what’s happened. Where is your faith now? What good is it?” At the moment, Job doesn’t have any easy answers, for he too is wondering why God has chosen to allow him to suffer like this. Now Job poses the question that has troubled righteous people for centuries: why do righteous people suffer while unrighteous people prosper?

“But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you. Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind.”  Despite all the disasters that have befallen him, Job continues to trust that God is sovereign and rules over everything.

“Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes its food? Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life. Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His. What He tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man He imprisons cannot be released. If He holds back the waters, they dry up, and if He releases them, they overwhelm the land. True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His. He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools of judges. He loosens the bonds placed by kings and fastens a belt around their waists. He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows the established. He deprives the trusted of speech and takes away the discernment of elders.”

“He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty. He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into light. He makes nations great and destroys them; He enlarges nations, then disperses them. He deprives the earth’s leaders of reason and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland. They grope in the darkness without light; He makes them stagger like drunkards.”

Amazing! Here is this old man, sitting on an ash heap, scraping at running sores that pain him 24/7, enduring verbal assaults by acquaintances, and yet Job utters one of the most stirring paeans of praise to God ever conceived. Even as Job is suffering, he is still honoring God. How many of us can say that we have done the same?

Having spoken about God’s creation and control of nature, now Job describes God’s moving among the nations. One wonders how Job’s so-called friends can sit there and listen to these magnificent descriptions and yet criticize him. But these guys are on a roll. It’s “Beat up on Job Day,” and they’re not about to let go of the opportunity to tear Job down under the guise of helping him. One wonders why these men have chosen to behave like this, for with friends like these, Job doesn’t need any enemies!

Unfortunately, the world is full of self-styled critics. The advent of social media has given many of these people unlimited avenues of opportunity to criticize others who are suffering. On Facebook recently, some of those posting about the flooding in Texas have been forced to turn off people’s ability to comment on their posts because of vicious criticisms posted by those who have never endured such a disaster. Self-styled experts have criticized everyone involved in any fashion, no matter how remote their association to the flooding.

Going back 20 years, when Hurricane Katrina suddenly took a right-hand turn and went through Bourne Pass and into Lake Pontchartrain, nobody anticipated the devastation that would result in New Orleans. But that didn’t prevent critics from attacking all those involved at that time. (We had friends who had just sold their house on Bourne Pass a few months prior to Katrina; that house stood up on a hill but still took water up to the level of the second story. Other friends in Venetian Isles-basically at sea level-fared far worse, losing everything.)

Disasters happen! Floods, forest fires, earthquakes, tornadoes, and hurricanes-even when we do our best to build sensibly, avoiding flood plains and trying to manage the timber and underbrush around our houses, we can still lose everything. In such situations, we are blessed if we survive with our lives and health intact. In the wake of disasters, what is needed is help, not criticism. One of the most heartening things is the massive outpouring of practical help for the flood victims. Faced with the unsavory task of finding bodies or body parts, local law enforcement and fire service have found their efforts greatly enhanced by specialty units from other parts of America and even from other countries.

Once more, these passages from Job emphasize two points: the sovereignty and majesty of God and the inability of people to control Him. What can we learn from these verses? In this age of ChatGPT and AI, people are turning to computers as the sources of all knowledge. But AI is definitely artificial and only as intelligent as whoever programs it. (I struggle with AI on a daily basis, for the ideas about English grammar held by those who have programmed it directly conflict with the rules I learned long ago from my mother who taught English.) But God is far wiser than any computer and is an Innovator, something computers can only do if someone programs them in that direction.

If we begin worshiping computers and what they can do rather than the One True Living God, we fall into the trap described eloquently by Saint Paul in Romans 1:18-23 “But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.”

Job suffered but continued to worship God. Ultimately, God rewarded him for his faith. Who or what are we worshiping? Are we following Job’s example?

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, You are the Author and Creator of everything, and You are the One who deserves all our praise and worship. Help us to truly honor You in all that we say and do. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Job 11 Zophar’s First Response to Job

“Then Zophar the Naamathite replied to Job: “Shouldn’t someone answer this torrent of words? Is a person proved innocent just by a lot of talking? Should I remain silent while you babble on? When you mock God, shouldn’t someone make you ashamed?”

Oh dear! So far, Job has heard from Eliphaz and Bildad; now Zophar is weighing in. Look at Zophar’s horrible accusations! Job has been glorifying God even as he has been begging God to simply allow him to die. Hasn’t Zophar been listening? Evidently not, for Zophar is accusing Job of babbling.

“You claim, ‘My beliefs are pure,’ and ‘I am clean in the sight of God.’ If only God would speak;
    if only he would tell you what he thinks! If only he would tell you the secrets of wisdom,
    for true wisdom is not a simple matter. Listen! God is doubtless punishing you far less than you deserve!”

Good old Zophar! Never mind that he has no idea how much Job has been suffering. Zophar is absolutely certain that he knows best and that God is punishing Job. Zophar is so arrogant that he is sure Job even deserves worse punishment than he has already suffered. What more punishment can Job possibly undergo? But Zophar continues.

“Can you solve the mysteries of God? Can you discover everything about the Almighty? Such knowledge is higher than the heavens—and who are you? It is deeper than the underworld—what do you know? It is broader than the earth and wider than the sea.” Oh joy! Yet another person spouting off verbiage about God. Obviously, Zophar has not been paying the slightest attention to anything Job has been saying. Zophar is one of those guys who sits jiggling his leg nervously, waiting impatiently for you to finish what you’re saying so he can make his pronouncements.

“If God comes and puts a person in prison or calls the court to order, who can stop him? For he knows those who are false, and he takes note of all their sins. An empty-headed person won’t become wise any more than a wild donkey can bear a human child.” Great! Now Zophar is implying that Job is empty-headed, foolish, and false. But this is a man who has enjoyed a spotless reputation in the community for years, so when has he changed? Community members are generally quite sharp when it comes to detecting frauds, and there are no secrets in a small town. Besides that, if Job is so terrible, then why has Zophar bothered to sit for seven days and nights grieving with him? Was all that effort simply for show?

 “If only you would prepare your heart and lift up your hands to him in prayer! Get rid of your sins, and leave all iniquity behind you. Then your face will brighten with innocence. You will be strong and free of fear. You will forget your misery; it will be like water flowing away. Your life will be brighter than the noonday. Even darkness will be as bright as morning. Having hope will give you courage. You will be protected and will rest in safety. You will lie down unafraid, and many will look to you for help. But the wicked will be blinded. They will have no escape. Their only hope is death.”  

Once more, Job is confronted with a self-styled friend who wants to redeem any vicious remarks made previously by mouthing pious sentiments about God. Too bad Zophar hasn’t had the good sense to simply remain quiet. Here’s Job, still sitting in ashes, scraping those blisters draining foul-smelling pus, losing weight because nothing tastes good, and trying to get some relief from the pain. Now Job must counter all these ridiculous accusations. What can Job do?

There are times when we are accused unjustly that we cannot do anything. Faced with those who seize on anything we say and attempt to twist it to prove our guilt, the best choice is silence. It’s human to want to respond and to argue; however, sometimes arguments accomplish nothing. We have the advantage over Job in that we have the example of Jesus. 1 Peter 2:21-23 tells us, “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps: “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.” When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.”

Many times, we have no choice except to leave matters to God. Psalm 75:6-7 tells us, “For exaltation comes neither from east nor west, nor out of the desert, but it is God who judges; He brings down one and exalts another.” We want so much to defend ourselves, but God is the only One who can change hearts. So, upon receiving vicious criticism, examine it to see if there’s any truth in it. Then after that examination, give it to God.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to counter unjust criticism and insults with holy silence. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Job 10 Job’s Plea to God

“I loathe my own life; I will express my complaint and speak in the bitterness of my soul. I will say to God: Do not condemn me! Let me know why You prosecute me. Does it please You to oppress me, to reject the work of Your hands and favor the schemes of the wicked? Do You have eyes of flesh? Do You see as man sees? Are Your days like those of a mortal, or Your years like those of a man, that You should seek my iniquity and search out my sin—though You know that I am not guilty, and there is no deliverance from Your hand?”

What is God’s nature? Is God kind and loving, or is He vicious and vindictive? Is God sitting in heaven simply waiting for the right time to torment us? These are the questions with which Job is now wrestling. When bad things happen, it’s natural to wonder if God is really sovereign and if He cares. Since God is immortal, how can He possibly understand our human struggles?

“Your hands shaped me and altogether formed me. Would You now turn and destroy me? Please remember that You molded me like clay. Would You now return me to dust? Did You not pour me out like milk, and curdle me like cheese? You clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews. You have granted me life and loving devotion, and Your care has preserved my spirit. Yet You concealed these things in Your heart, and I know that this was in Your mind: If I sinned, You would take note, and would not acquit me of my iniquity.” All Job’s previous life, he has trusted God and has believed in God’s benevolent nature. Job fully realizes that God has carefully created him, but why would God create a man simply to destroy him?

“If I am guilty, woe to me! And even if I am righteous, I cannot lift my head. I am full of shame and aware of my affliction. Should I hold my head high, You would hunt me like a lion, and again display Your power against me. You produce new witnesses against me and multiply Your anger toward me. Hardships assault me in wave after wave. Why then did You bring me from the womb? Oh, that I had died, and no eye had seen me! If only I had never come to be, but had been carried from the womb to the grave. Are my days not few? Withdraw from me, that I may have a little comfort, before I go—never to return—to a land of darkness and gloom, to a land of utter darkness, of deep shadow and disorder, where even the light is like darkness.”

 Now Job asks a question that has plagued humanity: why should God create us, only to destroy us? And why would God allow us to suffer? Why shouldn’t God allow sufferers to simply die quietly?

What Job does not know is God’s purpose in allowing him to suffer. Despite all Job’s fears, God does not want Job to die but to demonstrate fortitude and patience in the face of misery. God actually has a wonderful future planned for Job, one that will completely wipe out the memory of all the trials Job has endured. If Job were to die right now, he would simply become another nameless statistic and we would never hear about him.

God puts much more stress on us than we think that we can tolerate. One writer has compared the stress God places on his servants to the stress an archer employs when he pulls the string on a bow until he reaches the maximum point of stress. If we were the bow, we would complain bitterly as the archer continued to pull the string as far as it could go. “Archer!” we would say, “Why can’t you just allow me to relax a bit? Give me a little rest! Don’t pull so hard! I’m about to snap!” Left to ourselves, we would remain slack and unfit to effectively launch an arrow. But God knows us better than we know ourselves, and God knows how much stress is necessary to produce His desired results. God also knows the amount of strength He has already given us and the additional strength He will give us when necessary.

Live long enough and sooner or later, you WILL find yourself stretched to the max. At that point, you will find yourself echoing Job’s complaints. But there’s one aspect we don’t consider: God’s help. J. Hudson Taylor, Founder of the China Inland Mission, was fond of saying, “When God guides, He provides.” Taylor began as a missionary with a small London-based mission, but rapidly learned that the mission had no idea how much financial support was actually required for a single male missionary in China. In addition, Taylor realized that the ministry model his original mission had was not productive but encouraged missionaries to remain in large cities where they would associate primarily with other missionaries. In contrast, Taylor learned to minister from a veteran missionary who had adapted national dress and was ministering in Chinese.

 Wikipedia tells us: “Taylor spent 54 years in China. The society he began was responsible for bringing in over 800 missionaries to the country who were responsible for starting 125 schools and directly responsible for more than 20,000 Chirstian conversions, as well as the establishment of more than 300 stations of work with more than 499 local helpers in more than all 18 provinces….Taylor was able to preach in 4 different Chinese dialects and wrote in the Wu dialect well enough to produce a colloquial edition of the New Testament written in it.”

Later, those continuing the work of China Inland Mission continued to expand the work so that by 1939 there were 1300 missionaries with more than 200,000 converts from all levels of Chinese society. Eventually with the Communist takeover, CIM had to withdraw from mainland China; however, the organization morphed into OMF International that continues to work in 40 countries throughout the world with 1400 workers.

How was Taylor able to accomplish so much? Isaiah 40:28-31 holds the answer. “Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”

By himself, James Hudson Taylor was a small British medical missionary struggling to find his place in the Kingdom of God. But Taylor had already learned to rely on God before he ever left England, and he believed that the God who had called him would continue to provide the resources, the people, and the opportunities. Although Taylor issued regular bulletins under the title “China’s Millions,” he never made appeals for funds but trusted God to provide. All CIM missionaries worked in the same fashion, trusting God to provide. OMF International remains a faith-based mission with workers depending on donations by supporters for their support.

Perhaps you share Job’s concerns right now. You feel as if God has stretched you as far as you can go; meanwhile, God wants you to allow Him to stretch you further. Remember Taylor’s motto: “Where God provides, He will provide,” and that includes providing the strength and the courage for you to continue until God reveals the bright future he has for you.  

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to continue to trust You, even when we feel stretched beyond our limits. Thank You for giving us the strength and courage to endure. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Job 9 Job’s Third Speech: A Response to Bildad

“Then Job spoke again: “Yes, I know all this is true in principle. But how can a person be declared innocent in God’s sight? If someone wanted to take God to court, would it be possible to answer him even once in a thousand times? For God is so wise and so mighty. Who has ever challenged him successfully?”

“Without warning, he moves the mountains, overturning them in his anger. He shakes the earth from its place, and its foundations tremble. If he commands it, the sun won’t rise and the stars won’t shine. He alone has spread out the heavens and marches on the waves of the sea. He made all the stars—the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the southern sky. He does great things too marvelous to understand. He performs countless miracles.”

“Yet when he comes near, I cannot see him. When he moves by, I do not see him go. If he snatches someone in death, who can stop him? Who dares to ask, ‘What are you doing?’ And God does not restrain his anger. Even the monsters of the sea are crushed beneath his feet.”

“So who am I, that I should try to answer God or even reason with him? Even if I were right, I would have no defense. I could only plead for mercy. And even if I summoned him and he responded, I’m not sure he would listen to me. For he attacks me with a storm and repeatedly wounds me without cause. He will not let me catch my breath, but fills me instead with bitter sorrows.”
“If it’s a question of strength, he’s the strong one. If it’s a matter of justice, who dares to summon him to court? Though I am innocent, my own mouth would pronounce me guilty. Though I am blameless, it would prove me wicked. “I am innocent, but it makes no difference to me—I despise my life.”
“Innocent or wicked, it is all the same to God. That’s why I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’ When a plague sweeps through, he laughs at the death of the innocent. The whole earth is in the hands of the wicked, and God blinds the eyes of the judges. If he’s not the one who does it, who is?”

While Job’s friends have been pontificating about God, now Job describes God’s power accurately and magnificently, demonstrating that Job knows God far better than his friends do. Once upon a time, Job believed that God was good and loving; however, now Job is confused. “And even if I summoned him and he responded, I’m not sure he would listen to me. For he attacks me with a storm and repeatedly wounds me without cause. He will not let me catch my breath, but fills me instead with bitter sorrows.”

Job doesn’t know which way to turn, for he has tried to live as righteously as possible and yet he is suffering. Job assumes that God hates him; meanwhile, God is testing Job’s faith. Bad things do happen to good people, as the many stories from the recent floods in Texas serve to illustrate. Camp Mystic was a Christian camp, and one of the most enduring images from the floods is the video of the campers who survived singing praises to God as a school bus transports them to be reunited with their parents. By all accounts, those campers who died were bright spots in their homes, beloved and talented daughters whose deaths have left huge voids. Remarkably, many of the grieving families are founding scholarships or various other beneficent acts in honor of these precious girls. While these families are suffering “bitter sorrows,” they are trying to use their suffering to accomplish something wonderful for others.

“My life passes more swiftly than a runner. It flees away without a glimpse of happiness. It disappears like a swift papyrus boat, like an eagle swooping down on its prey. If I decided to forget my complaints, to put away my sad face and be cheerful, I would still dread all the pain, for I know you will not find me innocent, O God. Whatever happens, I will be found guilty. So what’s the use of trying? Even if I were to wash myself with soap and clean my hands with lye, you would plunge me into a muddy ditch, and my own filthy clothing would hate me.”

Here Job is addressing God. Prior to the disasters that tore away wealth and family, Job loved his life and trusted that he was worshiping a good God. Now Job is confused, fearful, and discouraged. Each new day seems to only bring more problems with no escape.

“God is not a mortal like me, so I cannot argue with him or take him to trial. If only there were a mediator between us, someone who could bring us together. The mediator could make God stop beating me, and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment. Then I could speak to him without fear, but I cannot do that in my own strength.”

Notice the difference between Job’s view of God and that of his friends. Job’s friends more or less view God as a divine machine-put in enough prayers and do enough good deeds and God should instantly reward you. Failure to pray enough or to do enough will result in suffering. Job has a far bigger view of God and realizes that God is sovereign. Still, Job is human and very frustrated.

Job is also speaking out of his culture. In many traditional cultures, when a problem arises between two people or between two groups, each opposing group selects a mediator who then speaks on their behalf. It is the job of mediators to find middle ground so that disputes might be resolved successfully. The selection of a mediator is critically important, for a mediator must be someone older with good standing in the community and the ability to speak well. But how is Job to find anybody with sufficient stature to represent him before God?

We must leave Job alone as he faces this unsolvable dilemma. Job lived before the coming of Jesus Christ. The good news for us is that Jesus Christ has come into the world and that he is co-equal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit; therefore, Jesus is completely qualified to be our advocate.

Hebrews 4: 14-16 tells us, “So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”

We are far better off than Job was, for when we trust in Jesus Christ as Savior from our sins and Lord of our lives, we can claim His help. Does this mean we won’t suffer? Ask all those families down in Texas, many of whom were strong followers of Jesus Christ. We will suffer; however, unlike Job, we have a Representative who knows our weaknesses and who has shed his blood for our sins.

Please do not hurry through this chapter but read and re-read Job’s statements about God. Here are some of the most magnificent descriptions of God’s power and glory ever written, and these words were born out of a heart of suffering. At this point in the story, Job sees no way out and only wants to die; yet, he continues to believe in an all-powerful, all-knowing God. May we too respond as Job has done when we find ourselves caught in suffering with no exit.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, as Job has said, Your power and Your wisdom are beyond our understanding. Help us to trust You even in the midst of suffering. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Job 8 Bildad’s First Response to Job

“Then Bildad the Shuhite replied to Job: “How long will you go on like this? You sound like a blustering wind. Does God twist justice? Does the Almighty twist what is right? Your children must have sinned against him, so their punishment was well deserved.”

HORRIBLE! In the wake of the catastrophic flooding in Texas, self-appointed critics began spouting all kinds of theories about what those who died or suffered during the floods should have done. One of the foulest kinds of criticism was aimed at parents who lost children through no fault of their own. Critics claimed that families should never have camped as close to the Guadelupe River as they did, or that they should have awakened sooner. The theories are ridiculous, endless, and cruel. One mother had her young son torn from her arms by the flood waters while her daughter clung to her neck. A 27-year-old father smashed through a window, nearly amputating his own arm, but creating a means of escape for the rest of his family. We know nothing about Bildad, not even whether he has a family of his own. But Bildad has no problem judging Job’s children as horrible sinners. We are tempted to wonder what Bildad’s children might do in later years.

“But if you pray to God and seek the favor of the Almighty, and if you are pure and live with integrity, he will surely rise up and restore your happy home. And though you started with little, you will end with much.”

Gee thanks, Bildad! You’re saying these things to a man who has lost nine sons and one daughter, children he has hugged, kissed, comforted when they have gotten hurt, and generally has loved on for decades. While tossing and turning at night, Job remembers the sweet voices of his dead children. The last thing Job needs to hear is that he needs to pray more and be purer than he already has been. And by the way, Bildad, how pure are you? How much integrity do you have?

“Just ask the previous generation. Pay attention to the experience of our ancestors. For we were born but yesterday and know nothing. Our days on earth are as fleeting as a shadow. But those who came before us will teach you. They will teach you the wisdom of old. Can papyrus reeds grow tall without a marsh? Can marsh grass flourish without water? While they are still flowering, not ready to be cut, they begin to wither more quickly than grass. The same happens to all who forget God. The hopes of the godless evaporate. Their confidence hangs by a thread. They are leaning on a spider’s web. They cling to their home for security, but it won’t last. They try to hold it tight, but it will not endure. The godless seem like a lush plant growing in the sunshine, its branches spreading across the garden. Its roots grow down through a pile of stones; it takes hold on a bed of rocks. But when it is uprooted, it’s as though it never existed! That’s the end of its life, and others spring up from the earth to replace it.”

Poor Job! By now Job must be wondering what he has done to deserve Bildad coming in to lecture him on things he has known for years. When people refer to “the patience of Job,” they generally are referring to Job’s persistence in the face of physical suffering. But looking closely at the meaningless speeches of Job’s friends, it’s obvious that Job must have infinite patience to sit there while someone with far less life experience goes on ad nauseum, ad infinitum.  

“But look, God will not reject a person of integrity, nor will he lend a hand to the wicked. He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy. Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, and the home of the wicked will be destroyed.”  Nice try, Bildad, but you’ve already failed miserably. Watching Bildad try redeem himself after making foolish hurtful statements is a lot like watching a man who has painted himself into a corner get out without getting wet paint on his feet.

What is it about some people, that they say scathing things and then think they can fix everything by attaching some sugary sentiment at the end? Bildad has just spent a long time insulting Job, saying that Job’s complaints are nothing but bluster, implying that Job’s children must have been terrible sinners who deserved their fate, and that Job is a foolish man with no common sense. Now Bildad is trying to make himself look good with this final statement.

Decades ago, there was a show on American television called “The Gong Show.” This show allowed all kinds of amateur entertainers the opportunity to perform on television. Those who did well would make it through their entire performance. On the other hand, singers who couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket, magicians who dropped their props, and other unfortunates would hear a loud “BONG” as a gong sounded off-stage, indicating that their time was up. At this point, Job needs a gong so he can hit it when his friends reach the point of redundant absurdity.

There’s a saying in the American South that “Everybody is good for something, even if it’s only to serve as a bad example.” Bildad is definitely a bad example. All we can do is try not to behave like Bildad!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to truly comfort others and not to abuse them while we are giving advice. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.