Today's readings from the Chronological Plan are taken from Job 5:1 - 7:21. Click here to read online.
Today's readings continues with Eliphaz's first speech and has Job's response.
Eliphaz basically verbalizes what was simply accepted in those days - God is just and so therefore we are blessed for our righteousness and punished for our wickedness.
Job 4:7-9 Consider now; Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Where were the upright ever destroyed? As I have observed, those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it. At the breath of God they are destroyed; at the blast of his anger they perish.
To Eliphaz and his friends there appeared to be only two options
1) Job had sinned and God was justly punishing him for his sin
2) Job had not sinned and God was punishing him unjustly
Since #2 is virtually blasphemous, they logically conclude it must be #1, never considering that there could be an option #3.
And it is true that sometimes God punishes people for specific sins. The baby born as the result of King David's adultery with Bathsheba died (2 Sam 12:15-20). Another time 70,000 people died as the result of David taking a census against God's will (2 Sam 24:1-17). In the NT Ananias and Sapphira lied and were struck dead (Acts 5:1-11).
So, yes, sometimes God does punish people for their sins. But that doesn't mean that all suffering is a punishment for sin. After all, the troubling question isn't "Why do the wicked suffer?". The troubling question is "Why do the righteous suffer?" Now, obviously, no one is righteous all the time. But Job was considered an upright and blameless man by God Himself.
But Eliphaz refuses to believe that because he cannot fathom a reason for people to suffer unless it is as a punishment for sin.
Eliphaz warns Job about the danger of being foolishly angry with God (5:1-7) by cursing the day of his birth in the previous chapter. He encourages Job to seek God for God does great things (5:8-16) and he reminds Job of God's blessings on those who accepts the discipline of the Lord (5:17-26). Basically, he assumes Job is guilty of wrongdoing and instructs Job to repent and receive God's blessing.
Then Job responds to Eliphaz and defends his rash words as being prompted by grief (6:1-7) and again states his desire to die with his integrity still intact (6:8-13). He rebukes his friends (6:14-23) and challenges them to tell him exactly what sin he has committed to deserve this punishment (6:24-30). Job then continues to "complain" and asks God numerous questions about his suffering. Why is God terrifying him with dreams? Why is God testing him? Why can't God just leave him alone? How has he sinned? And if he has, why won't God forgive him?
The verses that struck me the most in this passage are
Job 7:17-18 What is man that you make so much of him, that you give him so much attention, that you examine him every morning and test him every moment?
contrasted with
Psalm 8:4 what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?
At first, they appear to be similar. And yet they are so very different. Reread the surrounding verses in Psalms along with verse 4 to give it it's proper context. Psalm 8:3-6When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet.
In our passage, Job is distraught that he is getting so much attention from God, he's feeling haunted by God, and is frankly annoyed that God just won't leave him alone.
The psalmist, on the other hand, is in awe that the God who created the vast universe, could not only care for mere humans, but entrust us to care for the world He created!
Not that I blame Job - I don't even want to know how I would react under the same circumstances. But it is an excellent reminder that our perspective can sometimes skewer the way we perceive God.
God is not haunting us, He is not out to get us, He is not trying to make our lives miserable.
He loves us. And He is always with us. No matter our circumstances. He does not change. He was and is and always will be. Amen!
Tomorrow's readings are Job 8-11. Click here to read online.
I found an article about the first cycle of speeches in Job (chapters 4 - 14) which helped me to understand the passages a little better. You can read it here if you're interested.
5 comments:
Thanks Tammy! I find Job hard to understand. I get confused over what his friends are saying that are right or not. Some of it seems right and then others not, so I'm not sure if I have it wrong or not.
I know that at times I blame God and question him alot as to why things are happening. I KNOW its not right to do that, yet I do it... I need to stop doing it. I think its ok to question God why things are happening like Job has done, but we need to be careful we don't fall into the "woe is me" and blaming God trap.
Even Job thinks he has sinned from what I gathered, he's confused, or maybe its just his friends confusing him?
Poor Job, his grief is so great, he can barely even respond to the harsh accusations from his friend. At this point, he still stands up for himself that he has not brought this on, that this was no fault of his own, other than being born. He still wallows in self pity a bit, saying it would have been better had the Lord taken his life before he got here and had to suffer all this grief. I just can't imagine being in his shoes.
Although the poetic nature of these peticular scriptures, make them a little bit more challenging to understand, I think they are just beautiful and sound wonderful read aloud...there are some good scriptures in these chapters!
Great post, Tammy. I especially like the comparison between Job 7:17-18 and Psalm 8:4. The other verse that caught my attention was Job 5:7 - "Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward." I've heard that verse repeatedly in the past - it's sometimes quoted in books and so on. Isn't it the truth? Our children seem to find ways to get into trouble that never occurred to us, and we shake our heads and wonder "Where did that come from?" Man is born to trouble.
Nicole - I think some of what Job's friends were saying is right - in fact, much of it is right. The problem is that they were trying to apply it in a situation to which it didn't apply. And Job, I think, while he may have believed that he could've done something to incur God's wrath, can't imagine what could have brought about SO MUCH misery. From his perspective his children are all dead, he's afflicted with rotting flesh and painful boils, his wife told him to curse God and die, he has terrible nightmares, his wealth is gone - he's feeling persecuted by God,and now his friends, on whom he thought he could count, are also turning on him and pointing fingers at him, saying he brought it on himself. I could be wrong, but I think Job didn't really believe he could have brought so much destruction on himself.
It's part of human nature to want an explanation for why things happen. We want something or someone to blame it on; to be angry at; to be punished for it. But we're incapable of understanding the overall workings of God's plans, and sooner or later we have to accept that. I know it sounds like a pat answer and it's easier said than done. But when it comes right down to it, we are to "trust and obey". That's is our role in all this. As the old hymn says, "Trust and obey / for there's no other way / to be happy in Jesus / than to trust and obey."
I'm like you Nicole, I find Job really hard to sort out. I still haven't completely outgrown thinking everything I read in the bible is right and good on its face, simply because it is in there. Job makes me uneasy because I don't trust my own interpretation because, like you said Nic, it all sounds right, but can't be.
Thank-you for your explanations Tammy and Miriam, really helpful to me. :)
Please accept my apology for my silence these past few weeks, ladies. I really appreciate you all. ((hugs))
Jen
Well, I'm a little late in responding to this and probably no one will get to this comment but I found these passages so profound that I blogged about them.
http://whatsupwithusnow.blogspot.com/2010/01/who-ever-perished-being-innocent.html
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