Reading
SAA Notes
If you can’t meet a person’s arguments, you pour scorn and derision on him – so the world teaches. Eliphaz gets very hot as he seeks to make Job admit his sin. We, the audience to this drama, know that what has happened has nothing to do with any sin of Job’s. Have you ever been falsely accused?
SJA Notes
* Lord God, when persecution because of Jesus comes our way please remind us that the kingdom of heaven is our reward.
“The wicked man writhes in pain all his days,”
While some of what Eliphaz says contains wisdom, other parts just reek of weak theology.
Eliphaz believes that bad people will only have pain all their days.
This is in direct contrast with what we read elsewhere in God’s word.
Jeremiah cries out in Jeremiah 12,
“Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?”
The Psalmist wrestles with the same thing in Psalm 73,
“For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”
To think that bad things happen only to bad people is blindness to reality.
To say that bad people only have bad things happen to them is equally foolish.
Job’s friends were missing perspective.
We need God’s wisdom. The Psalmist points us to the truth,
“For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.”
Through God’s word become flesh going to the cross we are drawn near to Him!
All of anything else, any other thinking, is dust and ashes.
We can be near to God!
* God Above,
Thank You that You have forgiven our sin, that You have bridged the unbridgeable gap, that You have brought us from darkness into light.
Please teach us today from Your word.
More of You, less of us.
Amen.