Finally, in Chapter 38-39, God appears and speaks to Job. He states that Job is complaining and speaking with "words without knowledge". Then instead of answering Job's questions about suffering and justice, God launched into a series of rhetorical questions regarding the creation, about the earth, the sea, the animals (goats, ox, donkey, ostrich, horse, hawk eagle).... inanimate or animate - all testify to God's sovereignty and love and care for His creation.
Chapter 40 started with Job 's brief reply to God that he had no answer for God's rhetorical questions, and he was "unworthy". God then started the second part of his speech, stating the vast difference between God and men - because Job would not be able to discredit god's justice and would not be able to justify himself. "Do you have arms like God's, and can your voice thunder like his?" He simply isn't God!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Job 36-37
Elihu starts off by saying "bear with me a little longer..." Obviously he senses the frustration and impatience of Job as Elihu tries to argue his point further. Now he claims to be speaking on God's behalf, which none of his other friends claimed. But what he is essentially saying the same stuff over and over, like God punishing the wicked and to remember to praise God.
At the end of Job 36- Job 37 it starts to storm, so he takes the thunder as the sound of God's voice. He goes on to talk about how the breath of God forms ice and fills clouds with moisture. Then he tells Job to consider God's wonders and asks him if he knows how God controls the clouds and makes lightning flash. I think he is judging Job here and thinking that Job doesn't know the awesomeness of God's power.
At the end of Job 36- Job 37 it starts to storm, so he takes the thunder as the sound of God's voice. He goes on to talk about how the breath of God forms ice and fills clouds with moisture. Then he tells Job to consider God's wonders and asks him if he knows how God controls the clouds and makes lightning flash. I think he is judging Job here and thinking that Job doesn't know the awesomeness of God's power.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Job 34-35
Elihu says, "listen to me, all you wise men." He starts mocking and bashing Job and accuses him of associating with the evildoers and the wicked. He repeats a lot of the same arguments that Job's friends gave, like 'God is just, so you get what you deserve' and 'God punishes the wicked and they can't hide from God'. Then he accuses Job of rebelling against God to be added on top of his other sins.
He goes on by saying that sin and wickedness only affects humans, and that God does not listen to their empty pleas. Elihu says that Job is full of empty talk, and God isn't going to pay attention to him. Ouch.
He goes on by saying that sin and wickedness only affects humans, and that God does not listen to their empty pleas. Elihu says that Job is full of empty talk, and God isn't going to pay attention to him. Ouch.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Job 32-33 -the long winded Elihu
Chapter 32 introduces a new young person, Elihu, who is the most long winded person I have ever heard speak. He started speaking because he was angry at both Job and his three friends: Job because he was trying to justify himself instead of God; his friends because they had nothing else to refute to Job. He had not spoken before because he respected Job and his friends for being older - but now he could no longer hold himself back. Elihu used the entire Chapter 32 to introduce himself and say "I'm going to say something, because I'm full of words and my spirit compels me."
At the beginning of Chapter 33, Elihu is still trying to ask Job and his friends to pay attention to what he's about to say. Then he claimed to have listened to Job carefully, that Job declared himself "pure and without sin; clean and free from guilt". He told Job that Job is not right, for "God is greater than men". He insisted that God actually listened to Job or spoke to Job through a vision or dream even though he may not have perceived it. God could use suffering to turn a soul from the pit to the light (from sin to righteousness). Here, he describes a beautiful picture of redemption of men by a mediator (not sure if this is almost like foreshadowing what is to come with Christ, but it's like restoration of righteousness by confession/praying.)
Elihu ends the chapter by continuing to ask Job to listen to him and he will teach Job wisdom.
P.S. I really don't like Elihu--even though some of the things he said were right!!
At the beginning of Chapter 33, Elihu is still trying to ask Job and his friends to pay attention to what he's about to say. Then he claimed to have listened to Job carefully, that Job declared himself "pure and without sin; clean and free from guilt". He told Job that Job is not right, for "God is greater than men". He insisted that God actually listened to Job or spoke to Job through a vision or dream even though he may not have perceived it. God could use suffering to turn a soul from the pit to the light (from sin to righteousness). Here, he describes a beautiful picture of redemption of men by a mediator (not sure if this is almost like foreshadowing what is to come with Christ, but it's like restoration of righteousness by confession/praying.)
Elihu ends the chapter by continuing to ask Job to listen to him and he will teach Job wisdom.
P.S. I really don't like Elihu--even though some of the things he said were right!!
Job 30-31
Job now contrasted his previous life of wealth, honor and authority, to the life he has now, one who is mocked even by those whose fathers he did not respect (wicked men). These men would detest him and spit in his face... and would not hesitate to ruin him since now God was no longer "with" him. Job then complained more about how God no longer answered him even though he cried out for help. He accused God of attacking him and will bring him to death even though he had grieved for the poor and those less fortunate.
In Chapter 31, Job recounted how he maintained his righteousness:
1. He did not look lustfully to women;
2. he had not denied justice for his menservants and maidservants;
3. he provided and cared for the fatherless and the poor and the widow;
4. he did not put his trust to money ("pure gold") or rejoiced in his great wealth;
5. He did not curse anyone's life or rejoiced in his enemies' misfortune;
6. He has always displayed great hospitality to travelers passing by him.
Job wanted to have someone listen to his words of defense - he wanted God to listen and answer him. He did not understand why he was suffering without being at fault!
In Chapter 31, Job recounted how he maintained his righteousness:
1. He did not look lustfully to women;
2. he had not denied justice for his menservants and maidservants;
3. he provided and cared for the fatherless and the poor and the widow;
4. he did not put his trust to money ("pure gold") or rejoiced in his great wealth;
5. He did not curse anyone's life or rejoiced in his enemies' misfortune;
6. He has always displayed great hospitality to travelers passing by him.
Job wanted to have someone listen to his words of defense - he wanted God to listen and answer him. He did not understand why he was suffering without being at fault!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Job 30-31
Job contrasts his former life with his current situation. People whose fathers he would not have even put with his dogs are now mocking him, looking down at him.
I think this next part is so sad. Job is crying out to God.
"I cry out to You for help, but You do not answer me; I stand up, and You turn Your attention against me. You have become cruel to me; With the might of Your hand You persecute me. You lift me up to the wind and cause me to ride; and You dissolve me in a storm."
Job is so confused, and suffering so much. He does not know why things are so bad. He asks God why? why? WHY? Wasn't I good to the poor? Didn't I help the needy? I expected good, but instead evil came. Oh Lord, I am truly mourning . . mourning without comfort. I am desolate, confused, and weeping.
Job then starts to ask God, what did I do wrong? Was it this? Or was it that? He begins to list off various possible sins, and lists a fair punishment for each one. Lusting after another woman, not helping the poor and needy, being proud of his wealth, putting his trust in money, gloating in an enemy's misfortune. In all of these cases, he is willing to take the fair punishment for each sin. For example, if he has lusted after another women, then "maybe my wife grind another man's grain, and may other men sleep with her." He is willing to take the proper punishment as long as God uses honest scales.
After all this, Job continues to maintain his integrity.
I think this next part is so sad. Job is crying out to God.
"I cry out to You for help, but You do not answer me; I stand up, and You turn Your attention against me. You have become cruel to me; With the might of Your hand You persecute me. You lift me up to the wind and cause me to ride; and You dissolve me in a storm."
Job is so confused, and suffering so much. He does not know why things are so bad. He asks God why? why? WHY? Wasn't I good to the poor? Didn't I help the needy? I expected good, but instead evil came. Oh Lord, I am truly mourning . . mourning without comfort. I am desolate, confused, and weeping.
Job then starts to ask God, what did I do wrong? Was it this? Or was it that? He begins to list off various possible sins, and lists a fair punishment for each one. Lusting after another woman, not helping the poor and needy, being proud of his wealth, putting his trust in money, gloating in an enemy's misfortune. In all of these cases, he is willing to take the fair punishment for each sin. For example, if he has lusted after another women, then "maybe my wife grind another man's grain, and may other men sleep with her." He is willing to take the proper punishment as long as God uses honest scales.
After all this, Job continues to maintain his integrity.
Job 28-29
Job begins to describe the earth, how its soils bring forth crop and precious materials. However, wisdom is not as easy to find. You can't trade gold or silver for wisdom. Yet God is full of wisdom. And God say to man
"Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding."
Job then begins to reminisce about the "good old days" when everything was fine. He had his children; he would reach out to the poor and needy; he "broke the jaws of the wicked" (!!!); and he was respected by all. Everyone thought he was blessed, because he was!!
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