Bible In 90 Days – Day 38
Reading: Job 25:1 – Job 42:17
Take Away(s):
In general, Jobs friend’s advice and dialogs are not correct when applied to Job’s specific situation – he was blameless and upright. That said, I think some insight into the mind of God can be gained from their speeches.
- Science! 26:8. I think sometimes we miss the fact that people in ancient times were scientific. They may not have had all the answers, but some of the observations are cool!
- Integrity. 27:5. Job knew in his heart that he had not sinned and he refused to compromise his integrity. I pray that I always refuse compromising. I am not without sin – no one is – but we can, and must maintain our integrity.
- Undone…completely. 30:11. The language here is incredible, “Now that God has unstrung my bow and afflicted me.” A bow without its string is useless – completely undone. Can you imagine the low point that Job was at in thinking this…I can’t.
- Personal Purity. 31:1-4. Job make a personal commitment about looking at women in wrong ways (v. 1) – knowing full well that he couldn’t fulfill the commitment without God (v. 4). I pray that I would strive for this same covenant…stumbling, leaning in my dependent state on my Savior.
- Why bother to hide it. 34:22-23. Consider the depth of these two verses: “There is no dark place, no deep shadow, where evildoers can hide. God has no need to examine men further, that they should come before him for judgment.” Why bother to think we can hide anything from God. Yet we try. TRUTH: 1 John 1:9-10
- Hurt God? 35:6-8. As I read this, it convicted me. How often we think that by sining we are “hurting” God or somehow making Him ineffective. That couldn’t be further from the truth – He is GOD! He is displeased, maybe disappointed, but NEVER hurt.
- More Science! 36:27-29. See above note…
- Gulp! 38:2 & 40:2. Can you imagine GOD saying this to you: “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?” OR “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!” Think about when we “suggest” to God that we know better than He how things should go…GULP. Praise God He is full of grace and mercy!
- [speechless] 42:5. I don’t even know what to call this bullet. Can you imagine hearing about God and living a life that honored Him – to the point that He bragged about you to Satan – and then seeing and hearing Him. I can’t imagine…but, someday, I will see Him!
- Why? It is interesting that God never tells Job the story behind all that happened to him. Or that Job never said, “Um, Awesome God…what’s the back story now that it’s all over?” Again, I think it goes to Job’s integrity, uprightness, and blameless life. He knew God was GOD and didn’t owe him any for of explanation…let alone life!
- Ever wonder why God didn’t kill Job’s wife? Me too – I blogged about it a while back – scroll to Number Two: A Question.
DENNARR(dot)COM 