Chapter 42     Wow, so much in just this one chapter -- a beautiful end to a tough story!

Then Job answered the LORD, and said      (v1)

We can respond to the LORD! Dialogue with Him is good.

I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.  (v5-6)

Knowing about the LORD and hearing about the LORD are one thing.  Seeing Him for who He really is, changes us.  We see ourselves for who we are, with all our "ick".  And we want to be different.  We want to be like Him.

And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.  (v7)

God can get angry with us when we don't speak rightfully about Him as He did with the friends. But when we do speak rightfully about Him, He may praise us as He did Job. 

I also noticed that Elihu (the last one to speak) is not mentioned.  Wonder why?

Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job. (v8)

If I understand the offerings correctly, the burnt offering was to show complete submission to God. Though these men served God, they needed to completely submit to Him.  Not an easy thing for any of us.

But then they needed to go to Job - whom they had accused of sinning.  They needed to humble themselves before their friend.  Again, not an easy thing for any of us. 

So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job. (v9)

All three men did as

TBG wrote:

I have always felt the same way. I had a lady ask me if I thought it was God's that she was still single. She was a godly women that desired to be married to a godly man. I told her not necessarily. Sometimes things are just the result of a fallen world. People are sinful and there are consequences to sin. But that is a deeper issue that is already being debated heavily over at GMG Weds post.

But I agree that we should not be too quick to assign God as the reason for everything that happens.

Yes! 
Thanks for pointing out the discussion on GMG. 
 

Chapter 40

S:   Behold, I am vile: what shall i answer thee?  I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. (40:4)

O:  In chapter 21:5,  Job, wanting his friends to listen to him, tells them to lay their hand over their mouth.  Now he is realizes he needs to do the same thing to hear God. 

A:    Couple thoughts... 

...be careful what we ask of others - if we are not willing to do it ourselves, we maybe shouldn't be asking them

...if we're talking, we're not listening.

K:  Help me Father to think before I speak and to be a better listener - especially to You!

 



 

Haven't been able to post in a couple of days -- but I've been here reading!

Chapter 38   The long awaited moment -- we hear from God Himself!

The book of Job began with storms in Job's life.  In one day:

At the hand of man (but the instigation of Satan), some of his servants were slain and his animal taken
Fire fell from heaven and burned up more of his servants and his sheep
Again, at the hand of man, his camels were taken and more servants killed
Finally, a great wind hit the home of one of his son's while all his children were there - and they all died

Two of the "storms" were at the hand of man and two were weather related and appeared to be at the hand of God.
Yet in all this Job did not sin, nor charge God foolishly (1:22).

At some point later, Job himself is stricken with boils.  Again Job did not sin with his lips (2:4).

But then Job was with his peers...at times he began to blame God for what was happening to him.  God didn't do any of it.  But Job didn't know that.  Instead it seems that at times he forgot that God is wholly good.  That He IS love.  (Makes me cringe when I think how sometimes when I'm with my peers, a "different" me comes out too and how easily I can forget that God is wholly good).

This chapter opens with another weather related storm - but this time the storm is from the LORD as He speaks to Job from a whirlwind (Strong's: hurricane, a tempest).  The LORD doesn't mince words when He asks Job about his words which were spoken without knowledge and proceeds to remind Job of who He really is - the all powerful, all mighty Creator. 

So I contemplate the various storms in life we all face - are we too quick to blame God?  Even our insurance companies call tornadoes, hurricanes, and other storms "acts of God"!  When someone dies, are we too quick to say, "The Lord took him home"?  When nations or terrorists attack, are we too quick to say 'this must be God's plans' or 'God's judgment'?

TBG wrote:

Job 34

34:3-4 For the ear tests words as the palate tastes food. Let us choose justice for ourselves; Let us know among ourselves what is good.
 
Oh, how we see this in our society, even, sadly in the church. We test God’s Word as we do food, based on our likes and personal taste. We decide what is good based on what we like and prefer, based on what pleases our palate and satisfies our appetites. We think we choose and discern what is good and right and what we should follow and honor.
 
34:9 For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing that he should delight in God.'
Sadly, this is the source of much bitterness and falling away from the way. But should it profit us to serve God? I think ultimately it does profit us, in eternal life, in spiritual blessings (Ep 1), and in living water flowing out of our life, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, God’s presence in our life, etc. But the question is should it have to profit us? What if it did not profit us, would this negate our obligation or desire to serve Him? Should profit be our motive?
 
Looking at the rest of the chapter, I am not sure any of these people understand God and God’s ways. They had limited revelation and did not have the Holy Spirit to reveal and interpret God’s truth. But, there are some good points being made.
 
34:11-12 For He repays man according to his work, and makes man to find a reward according to his way. Surely God will never do wickedly, nor will the Almighty pervert justice.
 
We need to cling to this truth even if…. We must trust in the character of God.
 
34:14-15 If He should set His heart on it, If He should gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath, all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust.
 
[color=#000080]God is the source of life, of purpose,

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