Yesterday Job asked the question we all ask, "Why doesn't God put a stop to evil?" Today he finishes his speech about wicked men and Bildad, who has no answers, simply attacks Job's claims of innocence again.
"There are those who rebel against the light, who do not know its ways or stay in its paths." (Job 24:13) These are the type the Apostle John spoke of, "Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil." (John 3:19) Job has taken note that the evildoers around him love the dark and shun the light. They rebel against the Lord and refuse to walk in His ways. Their deeds are evil and the last thing they want is for them to be brought to light.
"When daylight is gone, the murderer rises up, kills the poor and needy, and in the night steals forth like a thief. The eye of the adulterer watches for dusk; he thinks, 'No eye will see me,' and he keeps his face concealed. In the dark, thieves break into houses, but by day they shut themselves in; they want nothing to do with the light. For all of them, midnight is their morning; they make friends with the terrors of darkness." (Job 24:14-17) Job mentions a series of crimes that call for remaining concealed from the public eye. When fleeing the scene of a crime or skulking around an illicit lover's neighborhood, darkness is a friend.
In yesterday's study we found Job wondering why God doesn't always punish the wicked during this lifetime so the godly can see it happen. Today he's feeling a bit better about leaving the timing of the punishment up to God. He believes a day is coming for the wicked. They may enjoy the fruits of their sins for a while, but they are under a curse. "Yet they are foam on the surface of the water; their portion of the land is cursed, so that no one goes to the vineyards. As heat and drought snatch away the melted snow, so the grave snatches away those who have sinned. The womb forgets them, the worm feasts on them; the wicked are no longer remembered but are broken like a tree." (Job 24:17-20) He compares the wicked to things that are temporary.
"They prey on the barren and childless woman, and to the widow they show no kindness. But God drags away the mighty by His power; though they become established, they have no assurance of life. He may let them rest in a feeling of security, but His eyes are on their ways. For a little while they are exalted, and then they are gone; they are brought low and gathered up like all others; they are cut off like heads of grain." (Job 24:21-24)
Job issues a challenge to the three friends who have been no help to him. "If this is not so, who can prove me false and reduce my words to nothing?" (Job 24:25) His companions have been angrily asserting that bad things never happen to godly men and that good things never happen to bad men. But Job has proven to them they are wrong. He's seen many a bad thing happen to a godly person and many a good thing happen to a wicked person. Their argument doesn't hold water. They know it doesn't; they must know it by now. But they won't admit it. They refuse to agree with Job's observations of how the world works and how the ways of God are often beyond human understanding. We are now about to study the final words of Bildad. In fact, all three of these friends are done talking at this point. They can't think of any way to refute the things Job has pointed out, so now Bildad just goes back to the same old song and dance.
"Then Bildad the Shuhite replied: 'Dominion and awe belong to God; He establishes order in the heights of heaven. Can His forces be numbered? On whom does His light not rise? How then can a mortal be righteous before God? How can one born of woman be pure? If even the moon is not bright and the stars are not pure in His eyes, how much less a mortal, who is but a maggot---a human being, who is only a worm!" (Job 25:1-6) Bildad says, "God is so high above us, how dare you question Him? Why do you keep fighting against Him? You won't win! And as for your protests of innocence, they are false. No one is righteous. No human being, who is like a worm compared to Almighty God, is perfect. No one deserves anything good from the Lord, much less a sinner like you. The best thing you can do is repent and submit to the chastening of the Lord. Stop asking Him to give you answers for your problems. You are the cause of all your problems. God wouldn't have sent tragedies into your life if you hadn't done something to deserve them."
It's true that mankind is in a fallen state. None of us is perfect. None of us can obtain salvation through good works. Bildad is correct on these points. But how could his words comfort anyone? What help for the sinner is in his message? He takes the listener to the point of despair and hopelessness and leaves him there. He offers no solution. This is not the way to change anyone's heart. Such a speech might lead a depressed person to the verge of suicide, but it won't lead them to Christ. Bildad is right when he says we are utterly depraved and unworthy of God's grace, but he leaves out the fact that God offers us His grace anyway. God provides a solution for our sin. We do have to reach a point of brokenness before we realize we are sinners who need a savior, but Jesus doesn't leave us there the way Bildad leaves Job there. Instead Jesus says, "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)
If only Bildad had a heart like the Lord Jesus: gentle and humble. Then he would have been able to comfort and encourage Job. Then he might have been able to help his friend's weary mind to take rest in the Lord, even though he doesn't understand his circumstances. But Bildad takes him to the edge and leaves him there. Jesus Christ will never do that. When we reach the end of ourselves, when we totter on the edge of despair, the Lord Jesus says, "Turn to Me! I can mend what's broken in you. I can restore your hope. Never mind where you've been or what you've done; I offer you a new life. I am able to give you a good future and a life of purpose."
Friday, April 7, 2017
Thursday, April 6, 2017
When Bad Things Happen To Good People: A Study Of The Book Of Job. Day 32, Job Asks Why God Doesn't Put A Stop To Wickedness
I would be willing to bet every one of my readers may have asked at one time or another, "Why doesn't God put a stop to wickedness? Why does He allow ungodly people to do evil things?" Job asks these same questions today. He looks around him and sees injustice in the land. He hears terrible stories of oppression and abuse and he wonders why God doesn't step in and put a stop to all the evil things that happen on the earth.
"Why does the Almighty not set times for judgment? Why must those who know Him look in vain for such days?" (Job 24:1) Job says, "Why doesn't His wrath fall on the ungodly? Why hasn't He set a day to carry out their punishment? We who are godly keep expecting to see something bad happen to evil people, but so far all we've seen is that they continue to prosper."
"There are those who move boundary stones; they pasture flocks they have stolen. They drive away the orphan's donkey and take the widow's ox in pledge." (Job 24:2-3) It is against God's law to move a neighbor's boundary stone, "Do not move your neighbor's boundary stone...Cursed is anyone who removes his neighbor's boundary stone." (Deuteronomy 19:14a, 27:17a) It is the same as stealing when someone moves a neighbor's boundary stone in order to make his own pasture larger. Job says he knows people who wouldn't think twice about doing such a thing; they are always looking out only for themselves. In addition, he knows people who oppress the widow and the orphan, a thing that is also contrary to God's law, "Religion that God our Father accepts is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27)
"They thrust the needy from the path and force all the poor of the land into hiding. Like wild donkeys in the desert, the poor go about their labor of foraging food; the wasteland provides food for their children. They gather fodder in the fields and glean in the vineyards of the wicked. Lacking clothes, they spend the night naked; they have nothing to cover themselves in the cold. They are drenched by mountain rains and hug the rocks for lack of shelter." (Job 24:4-8) The Lord urges us to have compassion on the poor, to be openhanded toward them and supply their needs. (Deuteronomy 15:11) The Lord Jesus condemned the attitude of turning a blind eye to the poor and needy. He warned that it will not go well for such cruel people in the judgment. "'For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite Me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after Me.' They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' He will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.'" (Matthew 25:42-45)
"The fatherless child is snatched from the breast; the infant of the poor is seized for a debt. Lacking clothes, they go about naked; they carry the sheaves, but still go hungry. They crush olives among the terraces; they tread the winepress, yet suffer thirst. The groans of the dying rise from the city, and the souls of the wounded cry out for help. But God charges no one with wrongdoing." (Job 24:9-12) Bible scholar Adam Clarke sums up verses 9 through 12 like this, "Job's object was to show, in opposition to the mistaken doctrine of his friends, that God did not hastily punish every evil work, nor reward every good one. That vice often went long unpunished, and virtue unrewarded, and that we must not judge of a man's state either by his prosperity or adversity. Therefore, there might be cases in which the innocent oppressed poor were crying to God for a redress of their grievances, and were not immediately heard, and in which their oppressors were faring sumptuously every day, without any apparent mark of the Divine displeasure."
We would like to see wicked deeds punished immediately. We long to see good deeds rewarded right away. To our human understanding this seems fair and reasonable. But God's thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways. (Isaiah 55:8) He is longsuffering toward the wicked, giving them time and opportunity to repent. The Lord has promised to judge the wicked and indeed He will if they do not repent, but He will do it in His own timing and in His own way. "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)
God builds the character of the godly by not patting believers on the head every time we do something right, which would likely lead to pride and arrogance on our part. God expects us to go about our work for His kingdom faithfully, whether we are rewarded during this lifetime or whether we wait to receive our reward in heaven. We are to be trustworthy servants like Joseph the son of Jacob, who endured a great deal of unfair hardship before he was raised to power in Egypt. We are to follow the example of Daniel, who faced down the lions in King Nebuchadnezzar's den before his value as a wise man in Babylon was recognized. We can mimic the patience of David, whose life was in peril every day for about fifteen years because of the wicked King Saul, who had to wait a long time before he received God's promise of being made king of Israel. There are many unnamed soldiers in the army of God whose chests are not covered in medals and whose heads are not adorned with crowns, but we can be certain God never overlooks what any of His faithful soldiers do for Him. "God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them." (Hebrews 6:10)
Job, like all of us, wants to see wicked deeds punished. It satisfies his sense of justice. He wants to see this happen in the here and now, on this earth, because his faith is at a very low level right now due to his tragedies. He believes it would strengthen him in the Lord if he could look around him and see wrath fall on the ungodly.
Job wants to see the righteous rewarded with good things. He knows he's lived his whole life for the Lord. He isn't perfect but his heart is right with God. He repents when he messes up. He's sorry when he makes mistakes. It grieves his heart when he stumbles on the path of righteousness. This is all God asks of any of us because He knows He made us from the dust of the ground. He knows our weaknesses. He knows our righteousness is from Christ and not from ourselves. It's natural for those of us who follow the Lord to expect rewards for our good deeds, but those rewards don't always appear immediately any more than the judgment of the wicked appears immediately.
Can we make peace with being patient? Job will be able to do this by the end of the book. He still won't understand everything he wants to understand, but he will be willing to leave the timing of judgment and rewards up to God. Many things in this world seem unfair to us and sometimes we wonder whether the ungodly will ever be punished for their wickedness or whether the godly will ever be recognized for their good deeds. God has a day in store for both these things. It's all up to Him. Are we willing to trust Him with that?
"Why does the Almighty not set times for judgment? Why must those who know Him look in vain for such days?" (Job 24:1) Job says, "Why doesn't His wrath fall on the ungodly? Why hasn't He set a day to carry out their punishment? We who are godly keep expecting to see something bad happen to evil people, but so far all we've seen is that they continue to prosper."
"There are those who move boundary stones; they pasture flocks they have stolen. They drive away the orphan's donkey and take the widow's ox in pledge." (Job 24:2-3) It is against God's law to move a neighbor's boundary stone, "Do not move your neighbor's boundary stone...Cursed is anyone who removes his neighbor's boundary stone." (Deuteronomy 19:14a, 27:17a) It is the same as stealing when someone moves a neighbor's boundary stone in order to make his own pasture larger. Job says he knows people who wouldn't think twice about doing such a thing; they are always looking out only for themselves. In addition, he knows people who oppress the widow and the orphan, a thing that is also contrary to God's law, "Religion that God our Father accepts is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27)
"They thrust the needy from the path and force all the poor of the land into hiding. Like wild donkeys in the desert, the poor go about their labor of foraging food; the wasteland provides food for their children. They gather fodder in the fields and glean in the vineyards of the wicked. Lacking clothes, they spend the night naked; they have nothing to cover themselves in the cold. They are drenched by mountain rains and hug the rocks for lack of shelter." (Job 24:4-8) The Lord urges us to have compassion on the poor, to be openhanded toward them and supply their needs. (Deuteronomy 15:11) The Lord Jesus condemned the attitude of turning a blind eye to the poor and needy. He warned that it will not go well for such cruel people in the judgment. "'For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite Me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after Me.' They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' He will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.'" (Matthew 25:42-45)
"The fatherless child is snatched from the breast; the infant of the poor is seized for a debt. Lacking clothes, they go about naked; they carry the sheaves, but still go hungry. They crush olives among the terraces; they tread the winepress, yet suffer thirst. The groans of the dying rise from the city, and the souls of the wounded cry out for help. But God charges no one with wrongdoing." (Job 24:9-12) Bible scholar Adam Clarke sums up verses 9 through 12 like this, "Job's object was to show, in opposition to the mistaken doctrine of his friends, that God did not hastily punish every evil work, nor reward every good one. That vice often went long unpunished, and virtue unrewarded, and that we must not judge of a man's state either by his prosperity or adversity. Therefore, there might be cases in which the innocent oppressed poor were crying to God for a redress of their grievances, and were not immediately heard, and in which their oppressors were faring sumptuously every day, without any apparent mark of the Divine displeasure."
We would like to see wicked deeds punished immediately. We long to see good deeds rewarded right away. To our human understanding this seems fair and reasonable. But God's thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways. (Isaiah 55:8) He is longsuffering toward the wicked, giving them time and opportunity to repent. The Lord has promised to judge the wicked and indeed He will if they do not repent, but He will do it in His own timing and in His own way. "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)
God builds the character of the godly by not patting believers on the head every time we do something right, which would likely lead to pride and arrogance on our part. God expects us to go about our work for His kingdom faithfully, whether we are rewarded during this lifetime or whether we wait to receive our reward in heaven. We are to be trustworthy servants like Joseph the son of Jacob, who endured a great deal of unfair hardship before he was raised to power in Egypt. We are to follow the example of Daniel, who faced down the lions in King Nebuchadnezzar's den before his value as a wise man in Babylon was recognized. We can mimic the patience of David, whose life was in peril every day for about fifteen years because of the wicked King Saul, who had to wait a long time before he received God's promise of being made king of Israel. There are many unnamed soldiers in the army of God whose chests are not covered in medals and whose heads are not adorned with crowns, but we can be certain God never overlooks what any of His faithful soldiers do for Him. "God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them." (Hebrews 6:10)
Job, like all of us, wants to see wicked deeds punished. It satisfies his sense of justice. He wants to see this happen in the here and now, on this earth, because his faith is at a very low level right now due to his tragedies. He believes it would strengthen him in the Lord if he could look around him and see wrath fall on the ungodly.
Job wants to see the righteous rewarded with good things. He knows he's lived his whole life for the Lord. He isn't perfect but his heart is right with God. He repents when he messes up. He's sorry when he makes mistakes. It grieves his heart when he stumbles on the path of righteousness. This is all God asks of any of us because He knows He made us from the dust of the ground. He knows our weaknesses. He knows our righteousness is from Christ and not from ourselves. It's natural for those of us who follow the Lord to expect rewards for our good deeds, but those rewards don't always appear immediately any more than the judgment of the wicked appears immediately.
Can we make peace with being patient? Job will be able to do this by the end of the book. He still won't understand everything he wants to understand, but he will be willing to leave the timing of judgment and rewards up to God. Many things in this world seem unfair to us and sometimes we wonder whether the ungodly will ever be punished for their wickedness or whether the godly will ever be recognized for their good deeds. God has a day in store for both these things. It's all up to Him. Are we willing to trust Him with that?
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
When Bad Things Happen To Good People: A Study Of The Book Of Job, Day 31, Job Feels Distanced From God
Today's chapter reminds me of a verse from a Casting Crowns song called "East To West" that says, "Time and time again Your truth is drowned out by the storm I'm in." The storms we go through in life can make us feel like God is far away, even though He isn't. We know the truth of God's word but it can be hard to feel His presence when we're fighting grief or depression or anxiety. This is the condition we find Job in today.
"Then Job replied: 'Even today my complaint is bitter; His hand is heavy in spite of my groaning. If only I knew where to find Him; if only I could go to His dwelling!'" (Job 23:1-3) I've spent several long nights of my life in a panic, pacing the floor, in the grip of anxiety so strong that it blocked everything else out. It made me feel so small and so far away from God. I knew the Lord said He would never leave me or forsake me (Hebrews 13:5), but what I wanted most was to actually feel like He was right there in the room with me. I could believe in my mind that He was there, but I wanted the comfort of feeling His presence. This is where Job is in today's chapter. I am sure Job has spent most of his life feeling like God was with him, but right now he's too overwhelmed to feel His presence. His problems are dreadful and they are right in front of him all the time, whereas God cannot be seen with the eyes. Job is weary in body and mind and the only thing he can think of is somehow finding God and feeling close to Him again.
"I would state my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments. I would find out what He would answer me, and consider what He would say to me. Would He vigorously oppose me? No, He would not press charges against me. There the upright can establish their innocence before Him, and there I would be delivered forever from my Judge." (Job 23:4-7) Job's friends have judged him harshly. They've accused him of sins he hasn't committed. But there is a higher authority who knows Job is innocent of these charges. Job believes if he could stand before his Judge, the Lord would agree with him that his current problems are not the consequences of anything he's done.
"But if I go to the east, He is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find Him. When He is at work in the north, I do not see Him; when He turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of Him." (Job 23:8-9) Job is tireless in his search for the Lord. He won't rest until he sits at His feet. What a wonderful example this is of a person who, though angry with God and confused about his circumstances, refuses to renounce the Lord. We really only have two choices when confronted with adversity: turn away from the Lord or draw closer to Him. Like Mary the sister of Lazarus who sat at the feet of Jesus, Job has "chosen what is better". (Luke 10:42) He will not stop seeking God. Right now he feels like he's groping blindly in the dark, but he won't give up, because this might be the day his searching hand is suddenly clasped by a bigger hand than his.
"But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold." (Job 23:10) This is one of my favorite verses in the book of Job. This is something anyone can say who refuses to stop following the Lord no matter what. Job has found himself in the furnace of affliction, but his fiery trial is not intended to consume him. The Lord is using it to make a good man into an even better man, in the same way a metalworker heats gold until the impurities rise to the top to be skimmed off. What comes out of the metalworker's crucible is a finer grade of gold, more beautiful and honorable, so pure that a smooth sheet of it is able to reflect its surroundings like a mirror. Job is going to come out of his trial an even better man than he was when he went in, more able to reflect the character of the Lord, the better to honor Him.
"My feet have closely followed His steps; I have kept to His way without turning aside. I have not departed from the commands of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread." (Job 23:11-12) It's possible to become bitter when we know we've been living right but are enduring hard times. I believe Job does feel some bitterness but at the same time he understands something very important. The only thing worse than going through hardships is not learning anything from them. If he doesn't come through these dark days with a better understanding of the Lord, what has he gained? What is there to take away from all this? Even though his troubles have not been caused by sin, there's still something to be learned from them. There's still an opportunity to grow closer to his Redeemer. If he misses that opportunity, then it's all been for nothing.
"But He stands alone, and who can oppose Him? He does whatever He pleases. He carries out His decree against me, and many such plans He still has in store. That is why I am terrified before Him; when I think of all this, I fear Him. God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me. Yet I am not silenced by the darkness, by the thick darkness that covers my face." (Job 23:13-17) Job says, "It's so dark I can't see Him! I don't understand what He's doing and I don't know if He's through with these trials or if there are more to come. Yet I will not remain silent. I feel forsaken and alone, but He must be somewhere nearby. I will keep on calling for Him."
We won't always understand what God is doing in our lives. We may find ourselves assailed by fear, as Job was, at the idea that God will do as He pleases according to His purposes. This must be why the Bible tells us so many times not to fear. This must be why the word of God urges us to trust Him. If we can hold fast to our trust in Him even when we don't understand what He's doing, we will find our fears easier to manage. If we can obey the command not to live in fear, we will find it easier to trust the One who loves us. These two principles work together in the life of the believer. Job is struggling against doubts, fear, anger, and bitterness. But he keeps on trying. He keeps on seeking the Lord, refusing to give up no matter what. This is why when his trials are over he will come forth like gold.
"Then Job replied: 'Even today my complaint is bitter; His hand is heavy in spite of my groaning. If only I knew where to find Him; if only I could go to His dwelling!'" (Job 23:1-3) I've spent several long nights of my life in a panic, pacing the floor, in the grip of anxiety so strong that it blocked everything else out. It made me feel so small and so far away from God. I knew the Lord said He would never leave me or forsake me (Hebrews 13:5), but what I wanted most was to actually feel like He was right there in the room with me. I could believe in my mind that He was there, but I wanted the comfort of feeling His presence. This is where Job is in today's chapter. I am sure Job has spent most of his life feeling like God was with him, but right now he's too overwhelmed to feel His presence. His problems are dreadful and they are right in front of him all the time, whereas God cannot be seen with the eyes. Job is weary in body and mind and the only thing he can think of is somehow finding God and feeling close to Him again.
"I would state my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments. I would find out what He would answer me, and consider what He would say to me. Would He vigorously oppose me? No, He would not press charges against me. There the upright can establish their innocence before Him, and there I would be delivered forever from my Judge." (Job 23:4-7) Job's friends have judged him harshly. They've accused him of sins he hasn't committed. But there is a higher authority who knows Job is innocent of these charges. Job believes if he could stand before his Judge, the Lord would agree with him that his current problems are not the consequences of anything he's done.
"But if I go to the east, He is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find Him. When He is at work in the north, I do not see Him; when He turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of Him." (Job 23:8-9) Job is tireless in his search for the Lord. He won't rest until he sits at His feet. What a wonderful example this is of a person who, though angry with God and confused about his circumstances, refuses to renounce the Lord. We really only have two choices when confronted with adversity: turn away from the Lord or draw closer to Him. Like Mary the sister of Lazarus who sat at the feet of Jesus, Job has "chosen what is better". (Luke 10:42) He will not stop seeking God. Right now he feels like he's groping blindly in the dark, but he won't give up, because this might be the day his searching hand is suddenly clasped by a bigger hand than his.
"But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold." (Job 23:10) This is one of my favorite verses in the book of Job. This is something anyone can say who refuses to stop following the Lord no matter what. Job has found himself in the furnace of affliction, but his fiery trial is not intended to consume him. The Lord is using it to make a good man into an even better man, in the same way a metalworker heats gold until the impurities rise to the top to be skimmed off. What comes out of the metalworker's crucible is a finer grade of gold, more beautiful and honorable, so pure that a smooth sheet of it is able to reflect its surroundings like a mirror. Job is going to come out of his trial an even better man than he was when he went in, more able to reflect the character of the Lord, the better to honor Him.
"My feet have closely followed His steps; I have kept to His way without turning aside. I have not departed from the commands of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread." (Job 23:11-12) It's possible to become bitter when we know we've been living right but are enduring hard times. I believe Job does feel some bitterness but at the same time he understands something very important. The only thing worse than going through hardships is not learning anything from them. If he doesn't come through these dark days with a better understanding of the Lord, what has he gained? What is there to take away from all this? Even though his troubles have not been caused by sin, there's still something to be learned from them. There's still an opportunity to grow closer to his Redeemer. If he misses that opportunity, then it's all been for nothing.
"But He stands alone, and who can oppose Him? He does whatever He pleases. He carries out His decree against me, and many such plans He still has in store. That is why I am terrified before Him; when I think of all this, I fear Him. God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me. Yet I am not silenced by the darkness, by the thick darkness that covers my face." (Job 23:13-17) Job says, "It's so dark I can't see Him! I don't understand what He's doing and I don't know if He's through with these trials or if there are more to come. Yet I will not remain silent. I feel forsaken and alone, but He must be somewhere nearby. I will keep on calling for Him."
We won't always understand what God is doing in our lives. We may find ourselves assailed by fear, as Job was, at the idea that God will do as He pleases according to His purposes. This must be why the Bible tells us so many times not to fear. This must be why the word of God urges us to trust Him. If we can hold fast to our trust in Him even when we don't understand what He's doing, we will find our fears easier to manage. If we can obey the command not to live in fear, we will find it easier to trust the One who loves us. These two principles work together in the life of the believer. Job is struggling against doubts, fear, anger, and bitterness. But he keeps on trying. He keeps on seeking the Lord, refusing to give up no matter what. This is why when his trials are over he will come forth like gold.
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
Internet Problems Tuesday
I apologize that there is no blog post this morning. Last night and this morning our internet keeps going off and I ran out of time to get the blog written before getting ready for the workday. Hopefully the problems will be fixed in time for us to pick back up with Chapter 23 of the book of Job on Wednesday morning.
I hope you all have a healthy and happy and blessed day in the Lord!
I hope you all have a healthy and happy and blessed day in the Lord!
Monday, April 3, 2017
When Bad Things Happen To Good People: A Study Of The Book Of Job. Day 30, Eliphaz Says Job Is Afflicted For His Own Good
Job has been protesting his innocence all along and now Eliphaz says, "So what?" Even if Job were perfect, Eliphaz tells him he would be of no benefit to God.
"Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied: 'Can a man be of benefit to God? Can even a wise person benefit Him? What pleasure would it give the Almighty if you were righteous? What would He gain if you were righteous?" (Job 22:1-3) This reminds me of Jesus saying, "So also you, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'" (Luke 17:10) The problem is that Jesus and Eliphaz were making two different points, and Jesus was right and Eliphaz was wrong. Jesus was telling us we need a Redeemer and that this Redeemer was able to love us even when we were no use to Him at all. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) God loved us even when we didn't love Him. (1 John 4:19) Of course we can't add anything to who God is, and He certainly doesn't need us, but Eliphaz has once again missed the entire point. He is leaving out love and mercy and grace. He's stuck on the fact that God is all sufficient and needs nothing from anyone, but he has forgotten that God interacts with us because He loves us even in our imperfection.
"Is it for your piety that He rebukes you and brings charges against you? Is not your wickedness great? Are not your sins endless?" (Job 22:4-5) Eliphaz has already told Job he'd be no use to God even if he were a perfect man, but it's clear Eliphaz no longer believes his friend is a godly man. He says, "Does God rebuke a man for his righteousness? Is He not instead rebuking you for your sins?"
I would have thought Eliphaz was waxing philosophical here about the fallen state of man, perhaps declaring the truth that we are all sinners, except that now he accuses Job of very specific sins that we know Job didn't commit, "You demanded security from your relatives for no reason; you stripped people of their clothing, leaving them naked. You gave no water to the weary and you withheld food from the hungry. though you were a powerful man, owning land---an honored man, living on it. And you sent widows away empty-handed and broke the strength of the fatherless. That is why snares are all around you, why sudden peril terrifies you, why it is so dark you cannot see, and why a flood of water covers you." (Job 22:6-11) This man has lost all perspective and common sense. Would he not have noticed if Job were living his life this way? Would he ever have associated with Job if he had observed such behaviors? Eliphaz would have stayed as far away from a man like that as possible. He would have considered himself too good to speak to Job if he were truly doing any of these awful things.
This "frenemy" now makes the statement that Job may have managed to fool his friends and neighbors for a long time, but he wasn't able to fool God. "Is not God in the heights of heaven? And see how lofty are the highest stars! Yet you say, 'What does God know? Does He judge through such darkness? Thick clouds veil Him, so He does not see us as He goes about in the vaulted heavens.'" (Job 22:12-14)
"Will you keep to the old path that the wicked have trod? They were carried off before their time, their foundations washed away by a flood." (Job 22:16) Eliphaz compares Job's character to that of those who lived before the flood, about whom the Bible says, "The Lord regretted that He had made human beings on the earth, and His heart was deeply troubled." (Genesis 6:6)
"They said to God, 'Leave us alone! What can the Almighty do to us?' Yet it was He who filled their houses with good things, so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked. The righteous see their ruin and rejoice; the innocent mock them, saying, 'Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire devours their wealth.'" (Job 22:17-20) Job said similar words in Chapter 21 about the prosperous wicked who have no room in their lives for God, but now Eliphaz accuses Job of being just like them.
"Submit to God and be at peace with Him; in this way prosperity will come to you. Accept 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 wickedness far from your tent and assign your nuggets to the dust, your gold of Ophir to the rocks in the ravines, then the Almighty will be your gold, the choicest silver for you." (Job 22:21-25) Eliphaz believes Job was once wealthy because he was a dishonest man and that he spent his life running after riches instead of running after God.
"Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty and will lift up your face to God. You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows. What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways. When people are brought low and you say, 'Lift them up!' then He will save the downcast. He will deliver even one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands." (Job 22:26-30) Again we find this man using spiritual truths in the wrong way. The one who delights himself in the Lord does indeed enjoy the blessings of His presence. The Lord does hear the prayers of the godly. The Lord does honor prayers of intercession that a righteous man makes for his friends and neighbors. But Job has not been living in opposition to God in the first place. The Lord already loves Job and hears his prayers. God is not withholding relief from Job because he is a wicked man and He is not refusing to answer his question of "why" as a form of punishment. God is working out a higher purpose in Job's life and the day will come when Job's three friends are going to be pitifully grateful that he is a man who can pray an intercessory prayer on their behalf.
"Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied: 'Can a man be of benefit to God? Can even a wise person benefit Him? What pleasure would it give the Almighty if you were righteous? What would He gain if you were righteous?" (Job 22:1-3) This reminds me of Jesus saying, "So also you, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'" (Luke 17:10) The problem is that Jesus and Eliphaz were making two different points, and Jesus was right and Eliphaz was wrong. Jesus was telling us we need a Redeemer and that this Redeemer was able to love us even when we were no use to Him at all. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) God loved us even when we didn't love Him. (1 John 4:19) Of course we can't add anything to who God is, and He certainly doesn't need us, but Eliphaz has once again missed the entire point. He is leaving out love and mercy and grace. He's stuck on the fact that God is all sufficient and needs nothing from anyone, but he has forgotten that God interacts with us because He loves us even in our imperfection.
"Is it for your piety that He rebukes you and brings charges against you? Is not your wickedness great? Are not your sins endless?" (Job 22:4-5) Eliphaz has already told Job he'd be no use to God even if he were a perfect man, but it's clear Eliphaz no longer believes his friend is a godly man. He says, "Does God rebuke a man for his righteousness? Is He not instead rebuking you for your sins?"
I would have thought Eliphaz was waxing philosophical here about the fallen state of man, perhaps declaring the truth that we are all sinners, except that now he accuses Job of very specific sins that we know Job didn't commit, "You demanded security from your relatives for no reason; you stripped people of their clothing, leaving them naked. You gave no water to the weary and you withheld food from the hungry. though you were a powerful man, owning land---an honored man, living on it. And you sent widows away empty-handed and broke the strength of the fatherless. That is why snares are all around you, why sudden peril terrifies you, why it is so dark you cannot see, and why a flood of water covers you." (Job 22:6-11) This man has lost all perspective and common sense. Would he not have noticed if Job were living his life this way? Would he ever have associated with Job if he had observed such behaviors? Eliphaz would have stayed as far away from a man like that as possible. He would have considered himself too good to speak to Job if he were truly doing any of these awful things.
This "frenemy" now makes the statement that Job may have managed to fool his friends and neighbors for a long time, but he wasn't able to fool God. "Is not God in the heights of heaven? And see how lofty are the highest stars! Yet you say, 'What does God know? Does He judge through such darkness? Thick clouds veil Him, so He does not see us as He goes about in the vaulted heavens.'" (Job 22:12-14)
"Will you keep to the old path that the wicked have trod? They were carried off before their time, their foundations washed away by a flood." (Job 22:16) Eliphaz compares Job's character to that of those who lived before the flood, about whom the Bible says, "The Lord regretted that He had made human beings on the earth, and His heart was deeply troubled." (Genesis 6:6)
"They said to God, 'Leave us alone! What can the Almighty do to us?' Yet it was He who filled their houses with good things, so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked. The righteous see their ruin and rejoice; the innocent mock them, saying, 'Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire devours their wealth.'" (Job 22:17-20) Job said similar words in Chapter 21 about the prosperous wicked who have no room in their lives for God, but now Eliphaz accuses Job of being just like them.
"Submit to God and be at peace with Him; in this way prosperity will come to you. Accept 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 wickedness far from your tent and assign your nuggets to the dust, your gold of Ophir to the rocks in the ravines, then the Almighty will be your gold, the choicest silver for you." (Job 22:21-25) Eliphaz believes Job was once wealthy because he was a dishonest man and that he spent his life running after riches instead of running after God.
"Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty and will lift up your face to God. You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows. What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways. When people are brought low and you say, 'Lift them up!' then He will save the downcast. He will deliver even one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands." (Job 22:26-30) Again we find this man using spiritual truths in the wrong way. The one who delights himself in the Lord does indeed enjoy the blessings of His presence. The Lord does hear the prayers of the godly. The Lord does honor prayers of intercession that a righteous man makes for his friends and neighbors. But Job has not been living in opposition to God in the first place. The Lord already loves Job and hears his prayers. God is not withholding relief from Job because he is a wicked man and He is not refusing to answer his question of "why" as a form of punishment. God is working out a higher purpose in Job's life and the day will come when Job's three friends are going to be pitifully grateful that he is a man who can pray an intercessory prayer on their behalf.
Sunday, April 2, 2017
When Bad Things Happen To Good People: A Study Of The Book Of Job. Day 29, Job's Answer To Zophar, Part Two
Job has been pointing out to his friends that doing good does not guarantee an easy life, nor does living wickedly guarantee a hard life.
"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?" (Job 21:17-18) He asks, "How often do we see the wicked getting what they deserve? Isn't it more likely they will continue to prosper in their crooked ways?"
"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?" (Job 21:19-21) Men like Job's friends, who watched eagerly for calamity to come upon the wicked, must have been puzzled when it didn't look to them as if God's wrath was falling very heavily on the ungodly. To explain this problem, they comforted themselves by saying, "Well, God is waiting to pour out His wrath in the days of their descendants. That's why we haven't seen anything bad happen to our sinful neighbors yet."
Earlier in our study of Job we looked at Psalm 73. The psalmist Asaph had many of the same questions as Job, but after going to the temple and spending time with the Lord he realized that rewards for good living or evil living are not necessarily given out in this lifetime. Asaph was a believer and he said this would happen upon his death, "You will take me into glory". (Psalm 73:24b) But he said of the ungodly, "Those who are far from You will perish." (Psalm 73:27a) The perishing he speaks of is not the annihilation of the soul but the same type of destruction the Lord Jesus spoke of when He used the word gehenna (destruction) for the word we translate as hell. Gehenna referred to the Valley of Ben Hinnom where the pagan Canaanite tribes, and even some of the Jews, sacrificed children to a false god. It was considered a valley of destruction, unclean forever because of the things that happened there. So we find that, even though we might not see the wicked reaping the full punishment of their behavior while they live on this earth, there is a destination prepared for their unrepentant souls. They will remain in their state of uncleanness forever. And God perhaps lets them live long on the earth so that in the judgment they will never be able to say, "You didn't give me a chance! You weren't good to me! I never had an opportunity to repent!"
"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." (Job 21:22-26) King Solomon, in his depression over the prosperity of the wicked, said something very similar to what Job says, "The wise have eyes in their heads, while the fool walks in the darkness; but I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both. Then I said to myself, 'The fate of the fool will overtake me also. What then do I gain by being wise?' I said to myself, 'This too is meaningless.' For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered; the days have already come when both have been forgotten. Like the fool, the wise too must die!" (Ecclesiastes 2:14-16) Both Job and Solomon agree that if we consider only this life, it does indeed seem unfair at times. We see evil people getting ahead by trampling on the righteous. Both the good and the bad meet the same fate; both go to the grave. If it ended there we would have no hope at all. But Christ, like all other humans, also went to the grave. Christ, like many other godly people, received ill treatment instead of rewards on this earth. But Christ, unlike all other men, rose from the dead under His own power, to forever live and make intercession for all who will believe on Him. Whether or not we receive rewards for righteous living on the earth, we have rewards stored up for us in heaven. And no one will ever be able to take those away from us.
Job says to his friends, "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?" (Job 21:27-30) He asks, "How can you cling to your belief that good things never happen to bad people and bad things never happen to good people? Even if you have never seen with your own eyes any examples that the wicked continue to prosper, haven't you ever chatted with a traveling man? Haven't you ever heard of people who make their fortunes by defrauding the godly?"
"Who denounces their conduct to their face? Who repays them for what they have done?" (Job 21:31) Job has observed that the ungodly are rarely called to account for their wickedness. They are more likely to be congratulated for their cleverness. The sons of Korah said in Psalm 49:18b, "people praise you when you prosper". Isn't that the truth? Doesn't the world heap adulation on the rich and famous even if that wealth was gained by sin?
"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." (Job 21:32-33) Have you noticed how the world tends to mourn the death of celebrities, no matter how sinful their lifestyles may have been? I've seen a few people shed more tears over a celebrity they never even met than they shed over the deaths of those they actually knew. Even in death Job notices that the prosperous wicked receive honor. Processions of mourners follow their coffins to the tomb. Women weep and wail at the graveside. Guards are set so no tomb robbers are able to come and steal the fine jewelry and other accessories buried with the body. Yet the faithful saint lies nearby in a humble tomb, with no large funeral procession, with no flags flying at half mast, with no day of mourning declared to observe his passing.
Job concludes that everything his three companions have said is meaningless. They have no idea what they are talking about when they pompously state that only bad things happen to bad people and only good things happen to good people. "So how can you console me with your nonsense? Nothing is left of your answers but falsehood!" (Job 21:34) There is no consolation in falsehood. These men are wrong but they are too stubborn to consider this possibility. The only words that will ever console us are words of truth, the words found in the holy Bible, the words that promise us eternity with Christ and the rewards of having lived a faithful life.
"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?" (Job 21:17-18) He asks, "How often do we see the wicked getting what they deserve? Isn't it more likely they will continue to prosper in their crooked ways?"
"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?" (Job 21:19-21) Men like Job's friends, who watched eagerly for calamity to come upon the wicked, must have been puzzled when it didn't look to them as if God's wrath was falling very heavily on the ungodly. To explain this problem, they comforted themselves by saying, "Well, God is waiting to pour out His wrath in the days of their descendants. That's why we haven't seen anything bad happen to our sinful neighbors yet."
Earlier in our study of Job we looked at Psalm 73. The psalmist Asaph had many of the same questions as Job, but after going to the temple and spending time with the Lord he realized that rewards for good living or evil living are not necessarily given out in this lifetime. Asaph was a believer and he said this would happen upon his death, "You will take me into glory". (Psalm 73:24b) But he said of the ungodly, "Those who are far from You will perish." (Psalm 73:27a) The perishing he speaks of is not the annihilation of the soul but the same type of destruction the Lord Jesus spoke of when He used the word gehenna (destruction) for the word we translate as hell. Gehenna referred to the Valley of Ben Hinnom where the pagan Canaanite tribes, and even some of the Jews, sacrificed children to a false god. It was considered a valley of destruction, unclean forever because of the things that happened there. So we find that, even though we might not see the wicked reaping the full punishment of their behavior while they live on this earth, there is a destination prepared for their unrepentant souls. They will remain in their state of uncleanness forever. And God perhaps lets them live long on the earth so that in the judgment they will never be able to say, "You didn't give me a chance! You weren't good to me! I never had an opportunity to repent!"
"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." (Job 21:22-26) King Solomon, in his depression over the prosperity of the wicked, said something very similar to what Job says, "The wise have eyes in their heads, while the fool walks in the darkness; but I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both. Then I said to myself, 'The fate of the fool will overtake me also. What then do I gain by being wise?' I said to myself, 'This too is meaningless.' For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered; the days have already come when both have been forgotten. Like the fool, the wise too must die!" (Ecclesiastes 2:14-16) Both Job and Solomon agree that if we consider only this life, it does indeed seem unfair at times. We see evil people getting ahead by trampling on the righteous. Both the good and the bad meet the same fate; both go to the grave. If it ended there we would have no hope at all. But Christ, like all other humans, also went to the grave. Christ, like many other godly people, received ill treatment instead of rewards on this earth. But Christ, unlike all other men, rose from the dead under His own power, to forever live and make intercession for all who will believe on Him. Whether or not we receive rewards for righteous living on the earth, we have rewards stored up for us in heaven. And no one will ever be able to take those away from us.
Job says to his friends, "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?" (Job 21:27-30) He asks, "How can you cling to your belief that good things never happen to bad people and bad things never happen to good people? Even if you have never seen with your own eyes any examples that the wicked continue to prosper, haven't you ever chatted with a traveling man? Haven't you ever heard of people who make their fortunes by defrauding the godly?"
"Who denounces their conduct to their face? Who repays them for what they have done?" (Job 21:31) Job has observed that the ungodly are rarely called to account for their wickedness. They are more likely to be congratulated for their cleverness. The sons of Korah said in Psalm 49:18b, "people praise you when you prosper". Isn't that the truth? Doesn't the world heap adulation on the rich and famous even if that wealth was gained by sin?
"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." (Job 21:32-33) Have you noticed how the world tends to mourn the death of celebrities, no matter how sinful their lifestyles may have been? I've seen a few people shed more tears over a celebrity they never even met than they shed over the deaths of those they actually knew. Even in death Job notices that the prosperous wicked receive honor. Processions of mourners follow their coffins to the tomb. Women weep and wail at the graveside. Guards are set so no tomb robbers are able to come and steal the fine jewelry and other accessories buried with the body. Yet the faithful saint lies nearby in a humble tomb, with no large funeral procession, with no flags flying at half mast, with no day of mourning declared to observe his passing.
Job concludes that everything his three companions have said is meaningless. They have no idea what they are talking about when they pompously state that only bad things happen to bad people and only good things happen to good people. "So how can you console me with your nonsense? Nothing is left of your answers but falsehood!" (Job 21:34) There is no consolation in falsehood. These men are wrong but they are too stubborn to consider this possibility. The only words that will ever console us are words of truth, the words found in the holy Bible, the words that promise us eternity with Christ and the rewards of having lived a faithful life.
Saturday, April 1, 2017
When Bad Things Happen To Good People: A Study Of The Book Of Job. Day 28, Job's Answer To Zophar, Part One
Job's friends have given him no consolation with their words. Now he asks them to at least provide him with some consolation by their silence. "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.'" (Job 21:1-3)
"Is my complaint directed to a human being? Why should I not be impatient?" (Job 21: 4) Why do these men keep trying to answer in God's place? It's God Job appeals to for answers, not man. And since God could easily answer all his questions in the blink of an eye, of course Job is impatient. He knows God is able to do all things, so he can't help wondering why God doesn't do something.
Don't we often feel the same way? We know God could speak one word and turn all our circumstances around. We can't help wondering why He doesn't always work that way. I wish I could tell you the answer to that but I don't know the answer. The best I can say is that I think it's somehow connected with the growth of our faith and with our trust in our God. We are meant to learn to trust Him in the way a little child trusts his father. We might not understand what He's doing, but maybe we can learn to feel confident He has our best interests at heart.
Job doesn't see how these men can look at him and not understand his impatience. "Look at me and be appalled; clap your hand over your mouth." (Job 21:5) He asks, "How can you keep judging me for the way I feel? Don't you see what's happened to me? Just the very sight of my grief and torment ought to take the words right out of your mouths."
Job is right. None of us can judge the feelings of another person, especially if we have never been in their place. It's natural for us, as Christians, to want to say or do something to diminish a person's impatience or anger toward God, but sometimes the best thing we can do is what Job wants his friends to do. He just wants them to sit beside him and mourn with him. Sometimes that's the most Christlike thing we can do. There will be time later on, when the person has a better grip on their feelings, to gently encourage them in the faith. During the worst part of their grief it's far better to provide a friend with a listening ear than a talking 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." (Job 21:7-13) Job asks a question we have all asked. Why do some of the very best people die young while some of the most evil people live to be old? Why do bad things sometimes happen to good people and good things sometimes happen to bad people?
Job's statement is in sharp contrast to the statements his friends have previously made. They have confidently (in error) proclaimed that if Job had been doing everything right he could have had whatever he wanted. His children would be alive, his flocks would be multiplying, his money would be piling up in the bank, and he would never be sick a day in his life. You and I both know it doesn't always work that way. These men have been basing their "facts" on their own observations and all I can say is they must not have been very bright fellows. If they had truly taken the time to look around them and consider their friends and neighbors, they would have clearly seen that sometimes bad things happen even when a person is doing his or her best. We live in a world where the fall of man ushered in the death of the body. The entire creation has been affected by the pollution of our sins. If what we have done to ourselves isn't bad enough, Satan roams the earth trying to see which of us is weak enough for him to cull from the herd. Of course bad things sometimes happen to good people and we would have to be willfully blind, like Job's friends, not to see this.
Even in his dreadful circumstances, Job possesses far more spiritual maturity than his companions. He doesn't understand the mind of God, but he understands the mind of man. He knows that peace and prosperity often take us farther away from God instead of leading us to Him, for he says of those who are wicked but live in comfort and luxury, "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?" (Job 21:14-15)
Wickedness may lead to fame and fortune in this world. This doesn't seem fair to us. But Job says there is a downside to their prosperity. Instead of being thankful for their blessings they say to God, "We don't need You! Didn't we do all these things on our own? Where were You when we worked our fingers to the bone and took our money to the bank? We did all these things by ourselves; what would we gain by bowing to You?" The one who says to God, "I don't need You," is even more lacking in wisdom than Job's three pals. "But their prosperity is not in their own hands, so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked." (Job 21:16) Not a single human being could take the next breath unless it was God's will for them to remain in this world. God could wipe out the fortunes of the wicked in an instant. Then we would see who is in charge. Then we would see who has power over all things...and it's God, not man.
Job sees the downside to the prosperity of the wicked and this leads him to conclude there must be an upside to the troubles of the godly. He will not join in with the schemes of wicked men. He will remain faithful to God, the God who has allowed affliction in his life, because he believes God has a reason for it. He believes that the godly man or woman can prosper spiritually in troubled times.
When we look back on our own lives, when did we learn more about Christ? Was it when we felt like we were on top of the world? Or was it when we needed His help the most? I've been through some things I would never want to go through again, but I can promise you with all my heart that I wouldn't love Jesus as much as I love Him today if there hadn't been bad times in my life. And I'm sure there will be circumstances in my future that will be difficult, if the Lord lets me live long enough, but all I can do is trust that I will grow in the Lord and love Him even more than I do today. In Job's pain he caught a shadowy glimpse of a higher purpose in his suffering. He knows God is working on something. Just what that something is isn't clear yet. But when he emerges from this long dark valley he will know his Redeemer like never before. He will have prospered in ways the wicked can never imagine.
"Is my complaint directed to a human being? Why should I not be impatient?" (Job 21: 4) Why do these men keep trying to answer in God's place? It's God Job appeals to for answers, not man. And since God could easily answer all his questions in the blink of an eye, of course Job is impatient. He knows God is able to do all things, so he can't help wondering why God doesn't do something.
Don't we often feel the same way? We know God could speak one word and turn all our circumstances around. We can't help wondering why He doesn't always work that way. I wish I could tell you the answer to that but I don't know the answer. The best I can say is that I think it's somehow connected with the growth of our faith and with our trust in our God. We are meant to learn to trust Him in the way a little child trusts his father. We might not understand what He's doing, but maybe we can learn to feel confident He has our best interests at heart.
Job doesn't see how these men can look at him and not understand his impatience. "Look at me and be appalled; clap your hand over your mouth." (Job 21:5) He asks, "How can you keep judging me for the way I feel? Don't you see what's happened to me? Just the very sight of my grief and torment ought to take the words right out of your mouths."
Job is right. None of us can judge the feelings of another person, especially if we have never been in their place. It's natural for us, as Christians, to want to say or do something to diminish a person's impatience or anger toward God, but sometimes the best thing we can do is what Job wants his friends to do. He just wants them to sit beside him and mourn with him. Sometimes that's the most Christlike thing we can do. There will be time later on, when the person has a better grip on their feelings, to gently encourage them in the faith. During the worst part of their grief it's far better to provide a friend with a listening ear than a talking 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." (Job 21:7-13) Job asks a question we have all asked. Why do some of the very best people die young while some of the most evil people live to be old? Why do bad things sometimes happen to good people and good things sometimes happen to bad people?
Job's statement is in sharp contrast to the statements his friends have previously made. They have confidently (in error) proclaimed that if Job had been doing everything right he could have had whatever he wanted. His children would be alive, his flocks would be multiplying, his money would be piling up in the bank, and he would never be sick a day in his life. You and I both know it doesn't always work that way. These men have been basing their "facts" on their own observations and all I can say is they must not have been very bright fellows. If they had truly taken the time to look around them and consider their friends and neighbors, they would have clearly seen that sometimes bad things happen even when a person is doing his or her best. We live in a world where the fall of man ushered in the death of the body. The entire creation has been affected by the pollution of our sins. If what we have done to ourselves isn't bad enough, Satan roams the earth trying to see which of us is weak enough for him to cull from the herd. Of course bad things sometimes happen to good people and we would have to be willfully blind, like Job's friends, not to see this.
Even in his dreadful circumstances, Job possesses far more spiritual maturity than his companions. He doesn't understand the mind of God, but he understands the mind of man. He knows that peace and prosperity often take us farther away from God instead of leading us to Him, for he says of those who are wicked but live in comfort and luxury, "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?" (Job 21:14-15)
Wickedness may lead to fame and fortune in this world. This doesn't seem fair to us. But Job says there is a downside to their prosperity. Instead of being thankful for their blessings they say to God, "We don't need You! Didn't we do all these things on our own? Where were You when we worked our fingers to the bone and took our money to the bank? We did all these things by ourselves; what would we gain by bowing to You?" The one who says to God, "I don't need You," is even more lacking in wisdom than Job's three pals. "But their prosperity is not in their own hands, so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked." (Job 21:16) Not a single human being could take the next breath unless it was God's will for them to remain in this world. God could wipe out the fortunes of the wicked in an instant. Then we would see who is in charge. Then we would see who has power over all things...and it's God, not man.
Job sees the downside to the prosperity of the wicked and this leads him to conclude there must be an upside to the troubles of the godly. He will not join in with the schemes of wicked men. He will remain faithful to God, the God who has allowed affliction in his life, because he believes God has a reason for it. He believes that the godly man or woman can prosper spiritually in troubled times.
When we look back on our own lives, when did we learn more about Christ? Was it when we felt like we were on top of the world? Or was it when we needed His help the most? I've been through some things I would never want to go through again, but I can promise you with all my heart that I wouldn't love Jesus as much as I love Him today if there hadn't been bad times in my life. And I'm sure there will be circumstances in my future that will be difficult, if the Lord lets me live long enough, but all I can do is trust that I will grow in the Lord and love Him even more than I do today. In Job's pain he caught a shadowy glimpse of a higher purpose in his suffering. He knows God is working on something. Just what that something is isn't clear yet. But when he emerges from this long dark valley he will know his Redeemer like never before. He will have prospered in ways the wicked can never imagine.
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