Friday - Job 16 - One

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estled away in Job 16:21 is a terrifically wonderful request and wish which Job had. With Messianic fervor he prayed, "O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleads for his neighbor!"  Just like Job had said back in Job 9:33, he desired to have someone who could and would mediate, intercede and communicate between mankind and the Godhead. He wanted one who could come along beside him and defend him. Of course, we know certainly that the ONE has come; Christ is the answer to Job's expressed need, and we enjoy the benefit of this blessing (Romans 8:26-27).  Jesus is the ONE who pleads to God for you and for me.  He stands up on our behalf and defends us.  He takes up our cause and our complaint happily and vigorously.  He is the ONE we need. What Job needed was a comforter. His friends weren't adequate for that. "Miserable comforters are ye all" (Job 16:2), Job cried against them. Yet, he found no comfort (Job 16:6). He was just sure that if the roles were reversed, he would bolster their failing strength (Job 16:4-5).  But, for the time being he had to be satisfied to continue in his suffering. Surely, he wasn't the first of God's children to suffer, and we know that he wasn't the last.

Interestingly, as Job prayed with Messianic overtones for a mediator to stand between him and God, he also became a type of Christ himself. We can read Job 16:10 & 11 with either Job in mind or with thoughts of the dying Lord of glory. The description fits either case well. And as you and I endure suffering, affliction, persecution, torment or pain to whatever varying degree, let us all remember & find comfort in the fact that Jesus suffered too (Heb. 4:15 & 5:8-9).

Thursday - Job 15 - The Plight of Evil Men

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here is some merit in what Eliphaz said to Job in his second rant. When he spoke of the general immorality and debauchery of humanity, he said things that we have to agree with (Job 15:14-16).  The problem with Eliphaz’s discourse is that he applied his hamartiology wrongly. He did what a few modern didacts do sometimes. He extended the true doctrine of the total depravity of mankind even to the actions of God's redeemed children. We must remember that once we are brought by God's grace to a position of faith and sanctification, we can and do please the Father; He does receive pleasure from our existence. In fact, His agenda is to bring us to a place of perfection. Both Old and New Testament saints received good grades on their report cards because of their faith. Job was born a sinner just like the rest of us... and he was still a fallen creature, but as we have already seen several times, Job's suffering was not a result of any sin that he was guilty of, it was a result of his devotion to God. Yet Eliphaz insisted on calling Job to an altar of repentance. Sometimes such invitations are simply not appropriate.

Another error that Eliphaz made was that he missed the timing of the sure curse on unrepentant sinners. In Job 15:20-35 Eliphaz insisted that sinful men suffer for their sin in this life. Well, truly there are many men whose sins begin to bring consequences very quickly and they earn for themselves an early grave. However, there are others who seemingly escape from all penalties in this life and only face justice after their departure from this life. Jesus, Solomon, David and Asaph all spoke of the common temporal prosperity of evil men (Luke 16:19, 22, 23 & 25, Ecclesiastes 8:14, Psalm 37:35 &73:3). In other words, they directly contradicted Eliphaz’s concept. I think I'll stick with those men and reject Eliphaz’s overly simplistic ideas. He may have had experience and gray hair, but his evaluation was erroneous.

Tuesday - Job 14 - Job on the Resurrection

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ob was clearly a believer in the resurrection (Job 19:25-27).  In this earlier chapter (Job 14) we find clear evidence of Job's faith in this regard.  But first, Job spoke of the frailty and fragility of life... and of the finality of death. Job recognized that each person has a limited amount of time on this earth and that God alone knows each person's limit. This realization caused Job to pray for God to be merciful to him in the finite amount of time that he had. He expected that life would be hard enough without any testing prescribed by the Almighty. So, he prayed for a measure of peace in this journey.  Still, Job's hope was not in this life, but in the next (Job 14:13-15).  He even knew the timing of the resurrection... at the end of history (Job 14:12).

When reading the end of this chapter carefully, it seems that there were 2 issues which were immediately important to Job as he considered life, death and the resurrection. First, the solution for his sinfulness must have been a vital issue to him. He saw that it was essential that his sin be dealt with (Job 14:16-17). Secondly, Job was concerned about what would happen on earth while he was in the grave (Job 14:19-22).

Naturally we should see these 2 issues as important as well. In relation to my own death, it is imperative that I know for sure that my own sins have been sealed up in a bag... and we know that only Christ can do something like that for us. And, I should indeed be concerned about what events will occur after I am gone. Anything that needs to be done to influence those days, I must... you must... we must do it now.

Monday - Job 13 - Though He Slay Me, Yet Will I Trust in Him

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s we have already seen, Job wasn't too impressed with the words of his friends (Job 13:2 & 4). But, of all of Job's great quips and quotes, his finest must be the one we read in Job 13:15, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.”  This should remind us of the great phrase, "but if not" of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (Daniel 3:16-18).   Oh, that we would be as devout, as loyal, as faithful, as committed, as determined, as pious and as godly when our greatest trials come!

Now, just because Job was permanently attached to God, that doesn't mean that he didn't have some very human ideas along the way. In Job 13:3 he said that he wished to "reason with God" ...not that God isn't more than willing to have a dialogue with us, He said as much Himself in Isaiah 1:18. But, such discussions are always undertaken so that we can be brought into compliance with Him, not vice versa. Ultimately though, Job was still looking to God for his salvation, so he was on more than good terms with God (Job 13:16).

Above all else, Job was just miserable. He felt as fragile as a leaf and as worthless as dry grass (Job 13:25). As he wrestled with the unknown cause of his pain, he even began to ruminate about evil things which he had done many years before, and those memories tormented him (Job 13:26). He was just sure that his strength was gone for good.

Saturday - Job 12 - Armchair Quarterbacks

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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.

Friday - Job 11 - The Trio is Complete

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n this chapter we find Job's third friend chiming in with his opinion about Job's plight.  Much like the first 2 men, this man, Zophar said things that sounded pious on the surface. He was rather harsh with his miserable friend (Job 11:2-3, 13-20).  As if the oppression of Satan wasn't enough... Job had to endure Zophar.

The most important consideration though, as we try to evaluate the words of Zophar, is what he said about God. We know that he missed his target because God says that he did (Job 42:7).  But where, when and how did he get it wrong?  Let's see if we can find a few problems with Zophar’s theology.

First, in Job 11:5, Zophar speculated that if God were to speak to Job, His words would sound a lot like Eliphaz’s, Bildad's and his own. He felt that God would fit well with their trio of condemnation and that if God were to join into this conversation that there would be a grand quartet of scrutiny to tighten the screws down on ol' Job. But, as this book continues to open to us, we will get to read God's words to Job... and there aren't many similarities with His words and the messages of Job's chums.

Secondly, Zophar asked, "Can you by searching find out God?" (Job 11:7). Well, he used the question rhetorically; implying that it was impossible. Yet, if we consider Jeremiah 29:13 and 9:24 we must conclude that not only does searching after God do some good, God reveals Himself to those who desire to know Him.  True enough that God is infinite, transcendent and omnipotent, but that doesn't mean that any form of theological skepticism is acceptable.

Thursday - Job 10 - Made to be Taken & Destroyed

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fter wishing for a God-man-mediator, Job took a different angle and approach. He asked God why in the world He would make a man only to turn around and destroy him. If we use 2^nd Peter 2:12 as our source, we can conclude that Job felt like he was being treated no better than he would have been if he were an animal. According to Romans 9:21-22, Job was not just a cheap vessel. But, here in Job 10, we see that Job was simply in a quandary as to why God was allowing such intense suffering to come into his life (Job 10:16 & 18). Of course, we know now more details than Job knew then about what God was doing.

So, Job asked God this question:  "Is it good unto You... that You should despise the work of Your hands?" (Job 10:3). Then he stated it boldly, "Your hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet You do destroy me." (Job 10:8). He was asking a question and then declaring something that has been discussed many times since then... on a much larger scale. Why did God make humanity... if He knew that we would reject Him and that most of us would perish because of it?  Why?  Such questions were anticipated by Paul (Romans 9:19-20). It's a question that is far beyond our capacity to comprehend or answer satisfactorily, yet the irony with Job's question is that it didn't even apply to him. Job wasn't created to be destroyed. He had many good days still ahead. And, he had a future with God! Job was not at all in the same category as Cain, Ham, Pharaoh or Judas.  Those men were hopeless cases.  Job was in a league with great saints like Daniel, Jeremiah, Joseph and Stephen. There was no condemnation in Job's future... just like for you and for me, that is if you are one of God's righteous children... as I am, by faith in Christ (Romans 8:1).