Job 22-42

The third round of discussion between Job and his 3 friends continue. There are some valuable lessons we learn from their dialogue.

Eliphaz, job’s “friend” tried to condemn him by identifying some secret sin which he may have committed and the reason for his suffering. The Bible teaches us that even if our hearts are suffering in shame, God is greater than our hearts. Though we may feel tremendous amounts of guilt, the Holy Spirit is proof that we are forgiven in God’s eyes.

There are so many people who walk around as if they “know it all”, thinking that their vast experience, book knowledge, formal education and training; living behind their degrees to justify their existence is wisdom and insight. Wisdom and true insight comes from God. There is nothing wrong with degrees and formal education; but when they are used to put oneself above others and as an identity; that is not what God is about. Wisdom is thus not from the human mind; it comes from God. “Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell? It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, concealed even from the birds of the air…The fear of the Lord-that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.” (Job 28:20) Fear of the Lord is a key them in wisdom; it means to have respect and reverence for God and to be in awe of his unfailing love and power. When dealing with people, it is more important to love and understand them than to analyze them or give advice. Compassion always produces greater results than blame or criticism. Have you experienced this in your life? People, even those closest to you, judge you and critique your life as if they know better than God? The prideful doctrine they preach which happens to be the very reason they despise religion; I find it ironic the attacks from people that come when you decide to have a living relationship with God; the hypocrisy of doing the very thing they are so opposed to: judgment. It’s ok for others to condemn you because of your beliefs and call themselves righteous; it’s a twisted contradiction.
In the midst of accusations and attack, Job was able to declare his conscience clear, for he knew in his heart of his strong faith and love for God. Only God’s forgiveness and the determination to live right by God can really bring a clear conscience. We can’t claim sinless lives; not a single one of us; that is why God’s forgiveness is merciful and gracious; we don’t deserve it and yet he gives it freely; that is Love. When people attack this idea, calling those that believe this in their hearts, selfish and egotistical; I would ask them this; how can you give all you’ve got to another if you yourself is running on empty with a hardened heart? What is wrong with experiencing the kind of restoration and renewal that only God’s love can give so that you can then send it off to others? I know people personally that feel that those who read the Bible and accept their sins have been forgiven, preach how self-centered that is, when their very own lives revolve around themselves and their routines. Witnessing these contradictions truly astounds me.

In Job’s pain and confusion of “why” this pain and suffering has come upon him, he came dangerously close to pride. Pride is deceptive when we are doing right. Pride separates us from God by making us think we’re better than we really are. There comes a tendency to trust our own opinion. It’s not wrong to recount past deeds, but it is far better to recount God’s blessings to us and not act as if you’ve done it on your own. I was recently reminded of someone close to me who said they’ve “paid their dues” in formal education, thereby acting as if they had the “right” to look down at others you choose to learn another way. They claimed that it was prideful to read and write about what they’ve learned by reading the Bible; and yet at the same time justified their point of view by the degrees they’ve received in Medical formal education. I find the scenario ironic. Who then is prideful? This is shown with Job and his friends. They were so busy pointing fingers at Job they didn’t realize their own arrogance and pride that God rebuked them for.

Do you try to keep people from seeing the real you? Job declared to his judgmental friends that he did not try to hide his sin as men and women often do. It is the fear of the discovery of our sin that leads us to patterns of deception. We can try to cover up with lies all we want to appear good to others; but we cannot hide from God. When you acknowledge your sin; and admit you’re wrong, which prideful people have a hard time doing, you free yourself to receive forgiveness and move on with your life. Job had a friend who spoke the most wisdom out of all the others; the youngest of the friends; this demonstrates that wisdom does not always come from age; it comes from knowing God. “I am young in years, and you are old; that is why I was fearful, not daring to tell you what I know. But it is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, which gives him understanding. It is not only the old who are wise, not only the aged who understand what is right.”(Job 32:6) When I was around 7 years old, I remember my Aunt who would discuss her relationships with men to me and ask my advice; I gave her wisdom that did not come from me. How would I know anything of relationships at the young age of 7; that was the Holy Spirit using me to give my Aunt warnings and words of encouragement; the glory should always go to God and he is not limited to the laws of nature we know of. Elihu, Job’s young friend, pointed out that it was not Job’s past sin that caused his suffering; that it was his present sin of attitude of arrogance as he tried to defend his innocence. Elihu also said that suffering is not meant to punish us as much as it is meant to correct and restore us. Job’s greatest test was not the pain, but that he desperately wanted to know “why” he was suffering. Our greatest test may be that we must trust God’s goodness even though we don’t understand why our lives are going a certain way. Becoming wise is a lifelong pursuit; just to know about true wisdom is not enough; living it and making wisdom active in your life makes all the difference.

Suffering is helpful when we turn to God for understanding, endurance and deliverance; it is harmful when we become hardened and reject God. Suffering is helpful when we are open to being helped by others who are obeying God; and harmful when we withdraw from the help others can give. Suffering is helpful when we are sensitized to the amount of suffering in the world; and harmful when we refuse to be open to any changes in our lives. I see people every day, caught in their routines and rat race; desensitized to the evil ways of the world because it’s considered “norm”. The refusal to change is refusal to allow God into your heart because in doing so; He transforms your heart and you grow and change, whether you expected it or not; it’s inevitable and a good thing. Again, it’s because it’s not about you; it’s about what he wants for you period. What is it about staying the same and getting comfortable that appeals to so many? In my opinion, that is the first sign of our mortality and our willingness to be controlled by the outside world and not realize there is something so much bigger than we are that is waiting to give us eternal life. If you are a logical person, I challenge you with this; we all know we are mortal beings. Whether we believe in Heaven or Hell is beside the point; why risk going to hell? Why not take the risk that is a pathway to heaven? Faith=Risk; be on guard you are taking the right risk. “If it were his intention and he withdrew his spirit and breath, all mankind would perish together and man would return to dust.”(Job34:14) God executes justice. We have his promise on that. Don’t lose hope. He notices your right living and your faith.

God is incomprehensible; we cannot know him completely. “God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding.” (Job37:5) We can never know enough to answer all of life’s questions or to predict our own future. Life creates far more questions than we have answers. God is in full control. Be ready to hear him speak; he speaks through the Bible, in your life through the Holy Spirit and though circumstances and relationships.

At the end of this book, the Lord speaks to Job. “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!”(Job38:2) God spoke to Job and did not answer any of his questions; God used Job’s ignorance of the earth’s natural order to reveal his ignorance of God’s moral order. Our only option is to submit to God’s authority and rest in his care; for there is no standard higher than God himself by which to judge. God has all the forces of nature at his command and he can restrain or unleash them at his will. God’s point to Job was that if Job could not explain such common events in nature, how could he possibly explain or question God? God was inviting Job to submit to God’s power sovereignty; only then could he hear what God was really saying to him. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in what we think we know and it blocks us from the opportunity of hearing God speak the exact truth we are looking for. We are our own worst enemy in this way; if we would get out of our own way by relinquishing the control we think we have; we allow God to work in our lives. He doesn’t want us to fight him by thinking and behaving like we have all the answers and can do everything our own way.

I have ridden horses and had a special passion for how God created the noble horse; this passage speaks to the beauty of his creation in the horse: “Do you give the horse his strength or clothe his neck with a flowing mane? Do you make him leap like a locust, striking terror with his proud snorting? He paws fiercely, rejoicing in his strength, and charges into the fray. He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; he does not shy away from the sword. In frenzied excitement he eats up the ground; he cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds. At the blast of the trumpet he snorts, ‘Aha!’ He catches the scent of battle from afar, the shout of commanders and the battle cry.”(Job 39:19)

God’s actions do not depend on ours. He will do what he knows is best, regardless of what we think is fair. God came to Job in the first place to demonstrate his love and care for him. Give God a chance to reveal his greater purposes for you, but remember that they may unfold over the course of your life and not at your request. At the end of this book, Job did repent for his sin. But it was not repentance for secret sin his friends had accused him of; it was for ever questioning God. We sin when we ask in anger; “if God is in control, how he could let this happen,” we are locked into space and time; God is not and we cannot begin to understand the reasons for everything that happens according to God’s ultimate plans. Can you still trust God with your questions unanswered? Bad things happen because we live in a fallen world. When you face dilemmas and trials, see them as opportunities to turn to God for strength; you will be amazed how ready he is there to catch you. Doubt and confusion are Satan’s greatest footholds in our lives; trusting God through pain and suffering breaks the habit of allowing a wedge into your relationship with God.

God made it clear that Job’s friends were wrong in their assumptions. They judged Job without knowing what God was doing; demonstrating the arrogance and pride in their own hearts. Be careful to avoid making judgments about a person because God may be working in ways we know nothing about.