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2012 Reading Through
The Bible Blog

Job 32-37 (Days 12-13)

1/12/2012

6 Comments

 
_ I’ve never been a big fan of fiction, and especially “mysteries,” but I’ll have to say that the book of Job is a powerful non-fiction “mystery” of sorts that will keep the seeker digging deeper for clues to why things happen the way they do. Sometimes things seem like a “mystery” in our own lives. (Leading to the “why God, why’s?)

Deuteronomy 29:29 says, "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

So, we must be content to trust Him with the things that He decides to keep secret and be a diligent seeker of what He desires to reveal. Regardless, it’s all to lead us into a stronger faith relationship with our Lord.

Before we look at today’s chapters, let’s look again at the powerful truths found in the book of James about Job. James was writing to Christians who were going through varies trials and persecutions. In James 5:11 he tells them to look at the prophets (God’s chosen messengers) and use them as an example for yourselves of how to go through suffering and how to be patient. Then verse 11 says this, “Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.” Regardless of what we do not understand about Job, we can understand this: God is compassionate, and merciful, and has what is best for us if we will be patient and endure in faith.

A word of caution while reading the book of Job… If the only Scripture we had was the book of Job, we would have one more book than Job had and therefore would be blessed, but we are blessed with much more than that; we have 66 books of God’s Scripture! So, when we read Job, let’s remember all the truths that are contained in God’s New Covenant to us. Amongst so many other things, He has given us healing and protection in His Covenant. (I Peter 2:24, James 5:14-15, Psalm 91) That said, He has also promised us sufferings, and various trials, and persecution. (Philippians 1:29, I Timothy 3:12) So, we should be mentally prepared to confront various trials with patience and God’s peace, but we should NOT expect sickness or our immediate family being destroyed. Amen!

Elihu

The next 2 days (6 chapters) are of Elihu’s speech; he brings some truth and is a forerunner for God Himself to speak to Job. Elihu patiently waited until Job’s three friends were done speaking because he was younger than them, but when they were done he can’t hold back from speaking any longer.

Job 32:1-3  So these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.  2  Then the wrath of Elihu …was aroused against Job; his wrath was aroused because he justified himself rather than God.  3  Also against his three friends his wrath was aroused, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. 

A better translation of the second part of verse 2 would be this: “his wrath was aroused because he (Job) justified himself more than God.”In other words, Job’s focus was on how what he was going through couldn’t be fair. Job’s focus on his own uprightness instead of God’s uprightness caused him to question what God was doing. Of course Job wasn’t a man who never sinned for: "There is none righteous, no, not one,” (Romans 3:10) but he was a man walking in righteousness before the LORD. Job 1:8 says, “Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?"

Although Job questions God and is confused, it was only Job’s three friends who spoke wrongly about God. Job 42:7 says, “… the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.” Elihu was angry with Job’s friends because, “they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job” (Job 32:3b).

Job’s friends knew of no sin that Job committed yet assumed he must have done something wrong. We would do well to heed this warning and not make assumptions about other people.

Anytime you suffer in any trial remember that the LORD is very compassionate and merciful and has an intended end to bless you.

Post comments and questions!

6 Comments
Shari
1/11/2012 10:37:53 am

In Genesis 18:25 it states "Will not the judge of the earth do right?" Reading the book of the Job leaves many questions but as it was said God didn't reveal everything in these passages as to why these things happened so we need to trust Him and know his ways are right.

One thing my Bible commentary states "The book of Job is a book of many charges and counter-charges between men who did their reasoning without consulting God."

May it be our prayer that God would help us to have (His heart) on a matter before we speak on it.

Reply
Sandi
1/11/2012 02:07:48 pm

Yes, I was thinking about how, where satan was coming before God, that is a courtroom and God is the righteous judge. Satan is always accusing us before God, and he knows when he has a legal right to come against us, because we have given it to him.

Like Peter. Jesus told him that satan had asked for him, that he could sift him as wheat. Jesus just said, I'm praying for you, that your strength won't fail you. God was allowing satan, but Peter already had, because of pride. Look what was accomplished in him through this sifting. He walked in such power, because he now walked in such humility.

We have been given such authority. We have the Spirit of God alive in us! Let's not give Him any access in any area!

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Joshua
1/11/2012 11:54:09 pm

so true; we shouldn't be wise in our own eyes (Prov. 3:7). It is easy to think the answer is obvious but we need to remember we may not see the whole picture.

Proverbs 18:13 He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him.

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Sandi
1/11/2012 01:51:51 pm

I found myself thanking God for the book of Job tonight. Never thought I would do that. I was more content with just going around it and pretending it didn’t exist. But I’ve had to come face to face with it the past couple of weeks, and I realized the thing that was troubling me so much, besides the obvious events in the book, was that it made me question the goodness of God.

God initiated the conversation with satan about Job. It was like a set up. It seemed to me like some kind of earthly bet or competition, with Job and his family the game pieces that would be sacrificed. I’m just being honest here. Then I had to ask myself…what is the character of God? What do I know about Him? When Moses asked to see Him, He caused all His glory to pass before Him and He proclaimed who He is. “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty…..” Exod 34:6-7 He has loved us with an everlasting love. With lovingkindness He has drawn us Jer 31:3. He allowed the Son of His love, a piece of Himself, to become our sacrifice, putting on sinful human flesh with all it’s frailty, so that we could be with Him. Jesus endured because we were the joy that was set before Him! And I love this in Hosea 2:19 He says, “ I will betroth you to Me forever, yes, I will betroth you to Me. In righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy, I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness and you shall know Me. How was this going to happen? Through judgement, because that was the only way to awaken them and show them their condition. In Job 33, Elihu says, God brings what He needs into our lives to save us from going down the the Pit, that we may be enlightened with the light of life.

In chapter 35 Elihu says, ”If you sin, what do you accomplish against Him? Or, if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to Him? If you are righteous, what do you give Him? Or what does He receive from your hand? Your wickedness affects a man such as you. And your righteousness a son of man.” God was working with man, for the sake of man. Intervening where He saw a willing heart, to bring them to the end in righteousness. As Pastor mentioned, Job didn’t have the Word, and the blood of Jesus had not been shed nor the Holy Spirit given. Job lived under God’s blessing and protection for years, enjoying life free from the attacks of the enemy, unlike many others around him. He was a generous man who defended the cause of the widow, the poor, and the fatherless. He knew what was right and he did it. He was so convinced that he was without fault, that He was sure that God had acted unjustly. So was it pride that opened the door? or fear? Was there a seed there that would grow into unrighteousness, for Job or his descendents? God is not in time. He has foreknowledge and perfect wisdom. Job suffered a great loss, but because of the character of God, my conclusion is that, without this trial, the losses would have been far, far worse. He lived out the rest of his life with more blessing than before, and he passed this legacy of righteousness and blessing on to his family after him.

Have you ever been offended at God or felt He let you down? I have. And it was because I lacked understanding of His love and His character. That He is always acting in love, seeing the greater purpose, looking after our best interest…us and our descendents after us. It is so important that we know Him. Many will become offended at God in the last days, and walk away from the faith. We have to trust in Him, know His word, be in tune to His Spirit, remembering that He is good, and He doesn’t ever change.

Reply
Joshua
1/11/2012 11:57:52 pm

I like what you said:
"Job suffered a great loss, but because of the character of God, my conclusion is that, without this trial, the losses would have been far, far worse."

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 says,
Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Reply
Shari
1/12/2012 01:07:27 am

Yes Sandi I also like that quote also "Job suffered a great loss, but because of the character of God, my conclusion is that, without this trial, the losses would have been far, far worse."

God knows the end from the beginning and is not in our time and saw this was somehow for the good.

Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

I also thought also about how Jesus went through the death of the cross and God allowed it because he saw the the good produced through it of gaining many sons and daughters. Not something that looked good in the natural eyes.

Isaiah 55:8-9

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts

Very interesting posts!

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