Job 34

Elihu continues with his second set of comments to Job in chapter 34. He is getting a bit stronger in his approach.  He first asks his friends to “put our heads together and figure out what’s going on here”.  Sometimes we need to get perspective by working together to understand what is happening.  God wants us in a body, a local church of believers, for a number of reasons.  It is important for our growth.  But it can also be very important in working to understand what is happening in life.  There is much value in having relationships where we can honestly look into each others lives and provide counsel and direction.  Sometimes that is uncomfortable.  No one likes to be accountable.  But it is a very important part of really staying on track and walking God’s way.  We need each other.  We need to be in fellowship.  We need to be together.  God designed us that way.

 

The Message version says it this way: “chickens always come home to roost”.  Can’t get much plainer than that.  People will not get away with anything.  There is a price to pay for the way we live.  While we may seem to pull a fast one, it won’t last.  I love how it says it: “But whether silent or hidden, He’s there, ruling”.  We need to recognize that there is a price to pay for the way we live.  If we walk in obedience, that price will be to receive God’s blessing.  If we walk against God’s will, there will be discipline and pain.  It isn’t instantaneous, which is where we tend to lose understanding.  We forget that God’s timeline and plan is a whole lot bigger than the way we look at the world.  His view is eternal, ours is for the moment.  We have to learn to see it from His perspective.  The thing to remember is that He does – He won’t miss it.  God is in control.

Job 33

Job 33 sort of sets me straight about Elihu.  I received a wonderful email this weekend challenging my observations, and some of what was mentioned in the post on Job 32 seems a bit incorrect.  Just to make sure we all are on the same page, this blog is not intended to be a deep explanation of scripture or a commentary on exactly what scripture means.  I am far too uneducated to make any claims like that.  My only intent here on these pages is to challenge you to get into God’s Word and dig deeper and find His truth yourself.  Sometimes when I write, I miss a bit because my focus is on small bite size chunks rather than keeping it all in context of God’s bigger story.  That is the case with Elihu.  He is a brilliant young scholar who is well prepared and lays it out well.  It “has been carefully thought out” and he is “speaking honestly from my heart”.  He further prefaces his remarks by admitting that “we’re both made from the same kind of mud”.  Elihu didn’t just run off at the mouth when there was a break in the action.  More importantly, the truth he shares is right on.  He informs Job rightfully that “God always answers, one way or another, even when people don’t recognize His presence”.  Did you get that?  God always answers.  So when it seems like there is deafening silence, it isn’t because God isn’t answering.  It is because we aren’t listening or finding His response.  We may miss God because we aren’t looking in the right place.  But it isn’t that God doesn’t respond.

 

Elihu goes on to give examples of how to get things right with God.  I love this one: “Or, you may fall on your knees and pray–to God’s delight”.  That seems logical doesn’t it?  He tells us that then “you’ll see God’s smile and celebrate, finding yourself right with God”.  God is in the restoration business.  He wants to clean us up and restore us to Himself.  We need to get on our knees and admit “I messed up my life”.  I have – and I know you have too.  We do as humans.  We screw things up every day.  And we need to get on our knees and make it right.  Then “God stepped in and saved me from certain death”.  God is waiting to do His part of the deal – come into our lives and save us – so we can say “I’m alive again”.  Wow – I want to be alive God’s way.  “He pulls back our souls from certain destruction so we’ll see the light – and live in the light”!  We serve an awesome God.  He loves us and has made a way for us to get things right.  We need to get on our knees!

Job 32

Job chapter 32 brings a new guy into the picture.  Elihu is a younger man who has been watching the interaction between Job and his three friends Bildad, Zophar, and Eliphaz.  Unfortunately his age and approach start out poorly from my perspective: “Elihu lost his temper….he blazed out in anger against Job”.  So here we have a young guy who has been watching and waiting from the sidelines who sees a break in the action and just can’t contain himself any longer.  So rather than continue to bite his tongue, he lashes out.  He let’s them know that “they were all older than he…but…getting old doesn’t guarantee good sense”.  Now we are getting personal Elihu.  I take exception to that myself.  J  He indicates that he had “kept quiet and held back from joining the discussion” because he thought that the wisdom of the old guys would eventually get to the place he throught they should be.  But since it wasn’t happening on his timeline, he had to jump in and do it his way.  Wow that sounds familiar.  When God isn’t getting things done the way I think or at the speed I would like, I jump in and take over.  Sure He is God, but c’mon, it has to be done and done my way now.  Ever feel that way?  Ever get tired of waiting and feel compelled to take control.  Well, Elihu does and he comes out with all barrels blasting.

 

Of course he isn’t just going to blast Job.  He has to attack the three others first.  I love what he says here: “it’s God’s Spirit in a person, the breath of the Almighty One, that makes wise human insight possible”.  This is quite true in fact.  Problem is, that God’s Spirit will always act within God’s character and Elihu certainly is missing the boat on that.  God is not out of control.  God does not run at the mouth and lose sight of the plan.  God’s Spirit in a person will prevent this kind of outburst rather than cause it.  Elihu knows the truth but fails to apply it.  We saw some of the same things earlier in Job with the other guys.  It is a common trend for people to excuse their behavior in how they respond to others with the kind of things Elihu says in this chapter.  But Elihu is just warming up.  He will be our focus for a couple more days as we watch how he goes on, without God’s Spirit being in control I believe, because he has taken the seat and is doing it his way on his timeline.  We have to guard against this urge to be in control.  Only God can see the future.  Only God knows how we should respond.  We best be very plugged in to His way and be following His Spirit within us if we want any chance at having His wisdom.

Job 31

Job 31 finishes this section of Job’s defense of his life.  I love how he frames it: “Isn’t God looking, observing how I live? Doesn’t he mark every step I take”?  He knows that God is watching and sees every step he makes.  We need to pay attention to this reality.  Sometimes we fall into the enemy’s lie that God doesn’t care how we live.  That is just not true.  Life matters.  God does care how we live and what we do.  God is looking and watching and marking our steps.  Job tells us how to avoid stepping in the holes along the way that lead us to sin.  “The fear of God has kept me from these things”.  He lists a litany of things that people do and sin around.  But he also tells us that the way we avoid falling prey to the enemy in these areas is to recognize that God is paying attention and cares about how we live.  You remember how your mom had eyes in the back of her head and could catch you doing naughty little things when you thought she wasn’t looking?  Well God doesn’t need eyes in the back of His head, He sees all and knows all because He is God.  We need to pay attention to the way we live.

 

One interesting comment in the list Job mentions comes as he starts this chapter.  “I made a solemn pact with myself never to undress a girl with my eyes”.  Oh boy, now we are getting personal aren’t we?  God is meddling here.  But men, have you made a pact with your eyes.  Do you limit what enters there to things that are holy and pleasing to God?  Have you run from pornography and other negative and destructive things that are so readily available and unfortunately seemingly accepted today?  We need to run from anything that leads us into a situation that is not pleasing to God.  And what we see and watch is critically important.  Bad movies, the wrong books and magazines, so many areas we need to guard our eyes against.  I hear the excuses – that it doesn’t hurt anyone so how can it be wrong.  That is not true.  It breaks God’s heart when we sin.  And it does impact so many things when we don’t guard our hearts from that which is not pure and holy.  Are you struggling with this area?  Surveys show that many are.  And many are in the church or claim to be believers who seem to ignore this area as dangerous and deadly.  God expects us to guard our heart and our eyes.  Time to take a look in the mirror and ask the question – am I living the way God wants in this area?  Do I need to make changes in what I watch or look at?  Ladies are not exempt here either, but undoubtedly, this is every man’s battle and we need to stay prayed up and very diligent in defeating the enemy’s attacks in this area.  Stand strong and rely on God’s power for victory.

Job 29 and 30

Job 29 and 30 talk about the before and after life of Job.  In chapter 29 there is one common word that shows up: “I”.  He continually describes life as I did this and I did that.  Not uncommon for any of us I am sure.  But it does seem a little like he is taking credit where it may not be due.  I know it certainly happens from me at times, actually a lot of the time things are going right.  I love to grab the attention and take credit for it.  But the reality is that God does this and God does that and in His grace He allows me to be a small part of His much bigger plan.  So are Job’s issues because he has lost his bearings and tried to take credit for what has happened in the past?  I don’t know, but one could sure make some assumptions here that He is not putting focus where it belongs – on God and what HE has done.  Job contrasts the before and after in his life in these chapters – good ones to reflect on and ponder over.  There is a difference in how life happens with and without God as the central focus.  How we live matters.  We need to put God in His rightful place and live that way every day!

Job 28

Job 28 asks a very important question and one that is worth seeking an answer to: “So where does Wisdom come from? And where does Insight live?” What is wisdom. My definition has always been that wisdom is seeing things from God’s perspective. Having His vision and seeing things the way He does. Looking at things through the eyes of God. All different ways to express how I think wisdom can be explained. We know that Solomon was the wisest man that ever lived. And how did he become so wise? He asked God to make him so. He recognized that wisdom comes from God. Job tells us that “God alone knows the way to Wisdom, he knows th exact place to find it”. So we need to seek it from Him. We need to ask for it. The second half of the question involves insight, or some translations call it knowledge. That to me is more of an understanding of truth and facts. Some call it head knowledge – book smarts. But insight allows us to explain much about our fellow man and the world we live in. What a great thing to seek – wisdom and insight…… God Himself addresses “the human race” with the answer to the mystery of wisdom and insight. He makes it clear and plain: “Fear-of-the-Lord–that’s Wisdom, and Insight means shunning evil.” Simple answer to a very complex question. The Psalmist gives us the same answer – that wisdom is related to a fear of the Lord. We need to have that fear – it is healthy and should be a characteristic of how we relate to the Father. But what does it mean to fear the Lord? Does it mean we run scared and hide because we are afraid? Not at all. Fearing God means we have a very healthy respect for who He is. We know His power, we understand His complete control of the universe, and we stand in awe of who He is. It is not about hiding because we are afraid He will do something to us. We should recognize that will happen if we walk in sin, but it is not what God is talking about here. We fear God when we put Him in His rightful place in our lives and in His universe. That is how we find wisdom. We put God where He belongs, and us where we belong. We let God be God and we simply walk in obedience to Him. As we fear Him, we will seek His guidance and direction and as He reveals it to us we begin to understand His very nature and see things from His perspective. We catch His vision. That is when we begin to walk in His wisdom. Seek it, but do it through fearing the One who has all wisdom!

Job 25-27

Job 25-27 consists of a little input from Bildad and then some output from Job.  Bildad asks this question: “Is there any place where His light doesn’t shine”?  The answer is a resounding NO.  God’s light shines everywhere.  Sometimes people want to believe they can go in the closet and it will stay dark.  Or they can do things under cover of night and not be knows.  God knows all.  He sees all.  His light is not shut out.  It may temporarily seem that way, but light always penetrates darkness.  And when God turns it up, it will prevail.  So don’t ever assume you can stay out of the light very long.  God’s light will shine into every corner of your life and you will give account for all you have done.

 

Job becomes quite cynical in chapter 26 in response.  Lot’s of questions for the three amigos.  But the reality is that Job is tired of the rhetoric and not happy with their suggestions.  The key I want to focus on today comes in his response in chapter 27 when he says: “I refuse to say one word that isn’t true….I’ll not deny my integrity even if it costs me my life”.  How much do you focus on maintaining your integrity?  Are you willing to guard it with your life?  To be honest, there isn’t nearly enough integrity around today.  People are willing to change their story or their mind even if it means they don’t stand firm on truth.  God desires us to be people of integrity.  Truth must prevail, in our words but more importantly in every decision we make that determines how we live!

Job 24

 Job talks about the outcome of evil in chapter 24.  He expresses frustration with all those who are out there “getting by with murder – stealing, lying and cheating”.  Ever feel that way.  You try and live your life by the rules.  You try to be obedient and follow God’s way.  But someone around you is cheating and cutting corners and seems to be getting it to work.  Ah but that is not really what is happening.  Job gives us a good insight into the real outcome for those who live apart from God’s laws and God’s ways.  Even when it seems like “God does nothing, acts like nothing’s wrong” we need to realize that we serve a holy God.  He cannot ignore evil.  He cannot turn His head when there is unrighteousness.  Does that mean He always acts immediately and the way we want?  No – but that is because we see only briefly and from a very different perspective.

 

Job does tell us what happens to those who chose to live in evil.  “Nothing that is evil lasts”.  God isn’t going to tolerate it for long.  Now remember that “long” means something different potentially to God than to us in our microwave gotta have it right now society.  But it won’t last.  “Sinners disappear in the grave”.  They will go down for their sin. There is no long term game for anyone who puts evil at the top of their list.  “They may have the illusion of security, but God has His eye on them”.  They aren’t pulling the wool over God’s eyes.  He isn’t missing what is happening.  He sees it all.  “They may bet their brief successes, but then it’s over, nothing to show for it”.  The end will not turn out the way they want.  God will win in the end.  Truth always wins, obedience always comes out on top.  God reigns and always will.  So flee from evil.  Be alert to the enemy as he tries to pull you into the temptation to walk in disobedience because it appears to be more fun or looks like people are getting away with something.  They aren’t.  They won’t.  They can’t.  God knows and will settle the score!

Job 23

Job chapter 23 is a painful one for many.  Job feels like he can’t find God.  A couple things jump out at me.  Job says “it isn’t fair”.  Wow – that is a phrase I hear often.  And my response is pretty much always the same.  Life isn’t fair.  No one ever said it would be.  No scripture says anything will be fair.  God isn’t about being fair.  He is about being righteous and holy.  As humans we want to focus on being fair.  We want to try to equalize things and explain why things are.  But life isn’t fair.  Job’s life didn’t seem fair.  He was a good man going through a tough stretch.  Why?  I can’t explain it but I do know it has nothing to do with being fair or unfair. 

 

Job is confident that he has lived the way God expected him to.  He is itching to get a chance to talk to God face to face.  I wonder how many of us are living with that confidence.  That we could go straight to God and defend how we live with the kind of confidence Job has here.  I would wonder where I have failed, and really wouldn’t have to wonder but know of areas I fall short.  But Job knows that God would “take me seriously”.  “He’d see a straight-lining man….would acquit me for good of all charges”.  Job has lived life God’s way.  He doesn’t understand what is happening.  It is as if God has gone dark.  I know that many of us have experienced this feeling.  Some of you are feeling that way right now.  You pray and don’t hear, you seek but don’t seem to find.  You feel “completely in the dark” just like Job.  But God doesn’t leave.  God is always there.  He has promised to never leave nor forsake us.  We need to keep in mind that fact.  We need to fight the temptation of the enemy to believe that God has left.  He doesn’t and won’t.  We have to realize that sometimes we just need to trust Him even when we can’t see nor hear nor even feel Him.  But Job doesn’t give up seeking.  He continues to pursue finding God, even when it seems hopeless.  That is the lesson we need to learn here.  We never quit because God is there and we will find Him.  He promises that He will never leave nor forsake us.  That doesn’t mean there won’t be quiet times when we get a little worried or lose connection.  Job shows us the determination to find God even when it isn’t happening.  That is our charge.  Seek Him and we will find Him.  Never give up on Him because He never gives up on us!

Job 22

Job chapter 22 brings Eliphaz to the plate for his next attempt to fix Job.  That is part of the problem happening in this book.  Job doesn’t really look to these guys to fix his life – but rather listen and understand his feelings.  Yet like most of us, particularly male types, we want to first fix the situation and then if time allows or we have to, we will maybe take a stab at understanding the feelings.  I do it to my wife all the time – not intentionally mind you – but I am wired with the fix first, listen later syndrome.  It is not the best way to relate and help people.  We need to seek to understand and then, if requested and appropriate, help work on the problem.  But Eliphaz opens up with this question: “Are any of us strong enough to give God a hand, or smart enough to give Him advice”?  First and foremost we need to remember God doesn’t need our help and certainly doesn’t need us telling Him what to do.  He has it under control without my assistance.  In fact, that is often when things go bad, when I insert myself in a situation in an attempt to help God fix something.  I am quickly learning, well maybe not so quickly, that God may choose to use me as an instrument of assistance, but He certainly doesn’t need me.  And if He gives me the opportunity to get involved in another life, it is not because of my overwhelming skill or wisdom, it is to be His hands and feet and to walk with the other person as His servant.  I spend way too much time trying to figure out how to fix things and not nearly enough time on my knees seeking God for how I can be used by Him to serve others needs.

 

We again are reminded of a very important truth that certainly should begin to be part of how we view life.  “You agree, don’t you, that God is in charge? He runs the universe–just look at the stars”!  We have heard variations of this over and over as we have walked through Job.  Why so much focus on this?  The main characters in this book are guys who have been successful.  They have had much and done well.  Who wrestles with control and ownership and being in charge?  It isn’t those who have never experienced it or who have nothing.  It is those who have done well and begin to believe the lies that they did it.  Because of their brilliance and hard work – they have made this happen.  Pride moves in and we actually begin to believe the lies that we are pretty important stuff.  Satan wants us to make that mistake.  He wants us to “think more highly of ourselves than we ought” as it says in scripture.  But the truth remains, no matter how much we try to grab the spotlight and take the credit, God alone is in charge.  We can pretend and fool ourselves, and maybe even a few others, but God is not fooled nor does this truth ever change.  He alone manages the universe.  We can’t forget that!