Saturday, November 4, 2017

Saturday - Job 12 - Armchair Quarterbacks


Y
ou know what an armchair quarterback is, right?  He doesn't play in the game... he isn't getting dirty and sweaty... he isn't risking anything by competing, but he thinks he knows better how to play the game than do those who are lining up to hit and to be hit.  Job's friends were armchair quarterbacks (Job 12:5).  They had no sores, no dead servants and no missing wealth, yet they were just sure that they had it all figured out when it came to Job's situation.

Job’s best response of all is recorded in this chapter. With cynicism and incredulity, Job finally retorted against his friends and told them what they needed to hear, "No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you" (Job 12:2).

Job dismissed the simplistic view of life that his friends had been presenting to him. Job pointed around him to men who were wicked enough and known to be so, and yet many of them were making money hand over fist and were no worse for the wear after each of their evil exploits. How did the philosophy of Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar really fit with reality? Philosophies and religions need to work in daily life, not just in a classroom incubator.

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