Month: June 2024

Job 33:26-28 He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness. He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall the light.

While accusing Job of pride and unbelief, Elihu does speak the truth for Job and all men: pray to God for forgiveness and He will be gracious to forgive; admit sin and He will deliver from hell and grant eternal life. Prayer and repentance is the response that the Lord is looking for. He is searching all hearts looking for a man that repents and believes, and when He finds him He grants forgiveness of sin, deliverance from hell, and freely implants eternal life.

We don’t have to be at the extremity of suffering like Job in order to pray and repent. Each day has enough troubles of its own in every human life to prompt us to repent, pray, and believe. Daily we repent, pray for grace, and believe for life; and daily God, for Christ’s sake, grants favor, deliverance, and eternal life. Life’s experiences teach us to admit sin and failure and to trust in Christ’s forgiveness and victory. Daily we admit that our sin is leading us on the wrong path and when the Spirit grants faith we are turned around and go the right way, back to God and to life.

Job 33:12-14 Behold, in this thou art not just; I will answer thee, that God is greater than man. Why dost thou strive against him? For he giveth not account of any of his matters. For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.

Elihu speaks some truth when he accuses Job of complaining (striving) against God. In order to maintain his innocence Job must imply that God is in the wrong. Elihu picks up on a theme of the book: that “God’s ways are not man’s ways,” and even if we are told what God is doing and why we could not perceive (understand) it.

We are left with what God has revealed (Jesus, the Word, the Son) and that is enough for us to believe His love and trust His wisdom and justice. It is admittedly extremely difficult for Job in his suffering to say, “God is good.” However, after a long story and an abundance of words Job confesses that God is God and he is not and that God is good and he is not: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted…I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know [Job 42:2-3].” He repented in dust and ashes.

God gave us Jesus, and He is all we need. Therefore, we can trust the Lord for the things we do not know, the great mysteries of godliness. “Striving” against God, or just complaining, is a way of saying, “I’m greater than God,” which is a lie. Instead we trust God, for He is good.

Job 33:9 I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me.

Elihu quotes Job’s words, wherein he protests his innocence. This protestation is a part of the theme of the book: “Why am I being punished?” Job was right in this, that he was a good man by every measure that man makes. He feared God and avoided evil. He was innocent by human standards and he did not deserve the depth of suffering as punishment for his sins.

Job was a little right. His punishment was not commensurate with his deeds. However, Job does not yet (until God shows him) realize that he is a sinner who deserves death. We all deserve suffering like Job’s for all have sinned. It is only by the grace of God that we still have life at all. The sinful human condition earns suffering, loss, and death.

Instead of protesting our innocence and claiming that we are basically good, we need to humbly repent, beg for mercy, and cling to the cross. This is what Job finally did after God spoke to him and showed him that he was not God and could not understand His ways. Even if God told him that was all just the result of a bet between God and Satan, it would not help.

The only thing we can do is humbly repent of sin, trust God’s mercy, surrender to His will, and receive His absolution. All because of Christ. Then let God renew.

Job 32:2-3 Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God. Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.

After Job’s three friends had exhausted the discussion of their opinions about Job, Elihu, a younger bystander, began to speak and offer a different perspective. His response of wrath against Job and the three friends was prompted by his opinion about how wrong they all were.

He basically said that the three said Job was suffering from some past sins. But Elihu said Job’s suffering would not go away until he realized his present sin. Job wasn’t suffering because of sin; he was sinning because of suffering. He pointed out that Job’s attitude became arrogant. He also said that suffering is not meant to punish but to correct and restore.

Elihu’s wrathful response was partially true, but he still could not know what is really going on. No one knows the whole truth until God reveals it. His indignation reflects our indignation at the wisdom of the world (which is foolishness). Philosophers and psychologists do not have all the answers. Only God is all truth and has all the answers, and He has revealed to us what we need to know. Trust Him. Trust His wisdom and mercy for what you cannot know.

We may be upset at the foolishness of the world and our own ignorance, but we trust the Lord for revealing His love for us in the Son, the God-man. “God said it, I believe it; that settles it for me.”

Job 31:1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

In this chapter Job rehearses his integrity and uprightness and all the good deeds he has done. This is his response to the sufferings inflicted by Satan with God’s permission: self-justification. He does not deserve it, for he has been a God-fearing man, giving the example here of keeping the Sixth Commandment about lust. Who can avoid the convicting words of Jesus, “He that lusteth after woman…?”

No matter how good a man Job was, he is still a sinner who desperately needs mercy, grace, and forgiveness. Self-justification implies that since I am in the right then God must be in the wrong. Job 40:8: “Will you condemn me that you may be in the right?” The lesson of the book is that no matter how good I think I am, God is always right and I am always in the wrong. This sinner needs the mercy of God, which is given in Christ. The simple truth is: Praise the Lord, for He alone is good; do not praise yourself, for you are not good.

Job 30:20 I cry unto thee, and thou dost hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not.

As a part of the ongoing theme of the book Job pleads his innocence, that he does not deserve such punishment, that he wants to plead his case face to face, and he expresses his desire to see God and hear from Him. Here, Job complains that God is not answering his prayer. “I know God is real and that He is good, so why doesn’t He talk to me?”

Sometimes God remains silent, even though we pray urgently. How should we respond? We continue to pray, believing that God does indeed hear our prayers. David says, “Answer my prayers, O Lord, for your unfailing love is wonderful. Take care of me,, for your mercy is so plentiful [Psalm 69:16].” And Isaiah 65:24: “I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers.” We continue to pray, believing God hears us, knowing He cares, and watching for His answers.

Jesus gave us access to His ear, and we know He hears us when we pray according to His will, which means through faith in Christ led by the Holy Spirit.

As it turns out in the end, God did hear Job’s cries and gave him an answer, though not the answer he expected. Trust the Lord, even if you don’t understand.

Job 26:2-3 How hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength? How hast thou counseled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is?

With great sarcasm, Job attacked Bildad’s comments. His friends’ theological explanations failed to bring any relief because his friends were unable to turn their knowledge into helpful counsel. It is more helpful to be present, love, and understand people than to analyze and give advice. Compassion produces greater results than criticism or blame.

Job is already beaten down, sick, weak, and powerless. He doesn’t need any more guilt and blame heaped upon the suffering soul. When people are already feeling down and out they don’t need criticism and advice; they just need compassion and caring. Human response is often advice instead of care.

Jesus used the Word to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted. The Law was spoken to the proud, smug, and self-satisfied Pharisee. The Gospel was applied to the humble, weak, and needy common person. The Godly person has the wisdom to know when to criticize the proud with Law, and when to comfort the humble with the Gospel.

The wise believer knows when hear words of Law and judgment on himself to bring oneself to repentance. Then he knows when to hear words of Gospel and mercy. Hearing the Word is a necessary step, but we also need the Spirit to teach us the situations in our life that need repentance (the Law) or faith (the Gospel). We may all listen to the Word and the Spirit to wisely apply blame or mercy to ourselves at the right time.

Job 25:4 How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?

Bildad’s final reply ignored Job’s examples of the prosperity of the wicked. Instead of attempting to refute Job, Bildad accused Job of pride because he was claiming that his suffering was not the result of sin. Job never claimed to be without sin, but only that his sin could not have caused his present trouble.

in the middle of his accusations, Bildad speaks a truth with a question that cannot be answered before Christ came. The truth is that no one can be justified with God by himself. And no human being can be clean or make himself clean from sin. However, the NT believer knows the answer to that impossible question: a sinful human being is justified by faith in Jesus Christ alone, and he believes that the blood of Christ cleanses from all sin.

Bildad asked the question presuming there was no answer, but we know that Christ is the answer. And we respond with faith in Christ, and we are justified and cleansed. The OT believer had to trust in the mercy of God which would in love send the Savior Messiah, but he could not yet know who that would be.

Job 24:13 They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.

Job was cataloging the sins of the wicked, like exploitation, thievery, and murder. He was trying to imply that he is not like them, but is suffering unfairly. The sinner’s problem is that he rebels against the light. He wants to commit all his sins at night and in the darkness, so that no one will know. People rebelling against God prefer darkness to light. They want their sinful thoughts and actions to remain hidden.

Every sinner has secret sins that he tries to keep hidden from others. But Jesus says, “Everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light [Mark 4:22].” So we live as though all our actions were out in the open. That is why Job was confused as to why God didn’t seem to have noticed, but he had faith that God would vindicate him in the end.

We too are sinners, rebels against God, and rebels against the light. We would prefer that no one finds out how sinful we really are. We all have secret sins that we try to keep from others, so we keep them in the darkness out of the light. We may, however, bring them before God in honest confession. God knows anyway. And in the Final Judgment all sins will be exposed to the light, except for those that have been washed away in the blood of Jesus.

Every day we are confronted with these choices: Rebel and hide, or confess and expose. Therefore, we repent daily.

Job 23:3-4 Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat! I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

Job’s response to his suffering and to the accusations of his friends was to ask Why, defend himself, and argue with God: “Why is this happening to me? I don’t deserve this. Come, talk to me so I can present my case.” He is pleading for an audience with God and looking for answers, in essence calling God unjust. God does in the end show up and speak demonstrating His awesome power and mysterious wisdom. Then Job’s response was to shut up. He repented and admitted that he doesn’t know what he is talking about or why he is complaining. He surrenders to God’s will, wisdom, and grace.

But for now his response is totally natural. Pain always produces anger. He argues with God, pleads his case, defends himself, accuses God, and demands an audience to air his grievance. Any time we ask Why? we are in essence accusing God of being unfair. This is the opposite of surrender to His will and trust in His mercy. We are saying that we know better than God. We want to be God instead. It is for this First Sin (“you will be like God”) that the Son of God entered our world to die for us to bring us humbly and thankfully into His Presence.