Tag Archives: Job

Job 28

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“But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? … God understands the way to it, and he knows its place. For he looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens”

Job responds to Bildad the Shuhite statements that man is a maggot, and that man cannot “be in the right before God” by asserting that he is righteous and has done nothing deserving of his current suffering.

Mankind can mine the earth for precious stones and minerals, dams rivers and searches oceans, but wisdom cannot be found there.  God created the earth, established weather patterns and boundaries for the oceans.  He sees everything. This mighty being revealed to man the place to find wisdom, “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding”

Job 23-24, 2 John

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Job says of God, “he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold. My foot has held fast to his steps; I have kept his way and have not turned aside.I have not departed from the commandment of his lips”.

Job recognises that the trials he experienced helped to develop pure gold. Job could confidently say that he remained faithful to God, even during such adversity, and that he hadn’t departed from God’s commandments.

John condenses God’s commandments into a single concept, “that we love one another. And this is love , that we walk according to his commandments”.  In addition to Job, we have a more perfect example of Christ, who demonstrated the greatest love possible, despite enduring suffering even beyond Job.  Let us aim to follow their examples, to hold fast our feet to God’s ways and demonstrate love for each other.

Job 11, Micah 7, James 3-4

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Micah is in despair, “the godly has perished from the earth…the great man utters the evil desire of his soul“. Yet in the midst of this Micah stands firm in his faith. “As for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me.”  No matter what difficulties of life arise, this must also be our attitude.  Our reliance on God can help us through the falls and darkness of this life.

Zophar encourages Job in much the same way. “If you prepare your heart, you will stretch out your hands towards him… you will be secure and will not fear…you will lie down, and none will make you afraid.“

So let us take the advice of James. “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you… humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”

 

Job 6-7, Hebrews 12

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Job despairs the situation he is in. “Oh that my vexation were weighed, and all my calamity laid in the balances! For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea… my eye will never again see good“.

These words form a stark contrast to Hebrews 12. “Let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.“

We’re all running a race. Along the way we’ve been warned to expect difficulty as Job did, “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives“.  Yet we have an advantage over Job. We can see the finish line, and Christ on the other side, having already finished. Any discipline we endure is God treating us as His children. “Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet… let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship.”