Job 35:1-37:24
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I have a confession to make, which I made to my Chronological Bible study class at church this past week too. I don’t think I’ve ever really studied the book of Job… I mean, I’ve read it, and I’ve appreciated the beginning and the end of the book. But, I’ve somehow read swiftly over the dialogue in the middle and haven’t really known who to believe in all of the dialogue – Job, his friends? Well, this year I’m trying to go a bit deeper into the book of Job, and one of the things I hope to do over the next couple of weeks, in addition to reading Job, is to read C.S. Lewis’ classics The Problem of Pain and A Grief Observed, the two books shown above. I’m hopeful these books will give me another look at the significant issues addressed in the book of Job. Have you read these books? On a side note, my wife and I recently watched the movie Shadowlands, about C.S. Lewis and his wife Joy’s relationship and her death from cancer. I do recommend this movie. (Trailer link here).
In addition to reading Job and C.S. Lewis, I am diving into Bible.org’s great commentaries on the book of Job. Interestingly, they don’t have too voluminous of commentaries on this book, but what they have is terrific. A very interesting sermon about the book of Job titled The Arrows of the Almighty is at this link and another sermon titled The Ideal of Submission is at this link. A good overview of Job is near the top-middle of the page at this link and another good overview is at this link. Last, but not least, is a interesting sermon titled Why We Can Worship God at the Time of the Death of Our Loved Ones (Job 1) at this link.
Are you like me, maybe struggling a bit with the book of Job? If so, please check out some of these resources above with me this upcoming week!
Worship God: Per my discussions of C.S. Lewis above, here’s a clip from the movie “Shadowlands” where the actor portrays Lewis and his quote “Pain is God’s Megaphone.” I don’t know that I agree with the tone this actor portrays Lewis, but I do believe all of these words are Lewis’ from the book “The Problem of Pain,” which he wrote before his wife Joy died from cancer. After Joy’s death he wrote “A Grief Observed,” and I have a hunch Lewis’ tone might be a bit different later in life…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSxp30wExEs
Are you in pain? Click here and meet your Comforter!
Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him? “ Job 36:22 NIV
Prayer Point: Pray in worship to God. Exalt Him in His power. Pray in thanksgiving that God is a teacher. Pray that you are learning from God’s Word.
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless,
Mike
“Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wickedness, from the Almighty to do evil.
(Job 34:10 NET.)
Elihu is absolutely correct in his assessment; however, he like Job and his friends assume that it was God that brought this turn of events upon Job. Like all tests given to people the test maker devises the test to measure how well the person has learned the lessons. However, in Job’s case, in our case, God is not the one who creates the tests, the devil and our own sins create the trials and temptations we encounter; however, God uses those trials as tests. He, God doesn’t have to tests us because he knows everything about us, the one who needs the information the test scores brings is US and possibly the devil.
If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small, (Proverbs 24:10 AMP) so the writer of Proverbs states. Crises do not come to take us out; they come to reveal the cracks. Growth comes by way of crises, plans come by way of crises and truth, the truth about ourselves come by way of crises. All truth is confrontational especially the truth about ourselves.
Now why did I go off on that tangent?
ELIHU PROCEEDED and said, Bear with me and wait a little longer, and I will show you, for I have something still to say on God’s behalf. (Job 36:1-2 AMP)
Are Elihu’s words presumptuous here, not forgetting that he is sort of a Blow-Hard, but does God really need us to speak, work on His behalf? Has God become senile, has He become weak? What we “do” for God I believe God alowss us to do, He always us to be Co-laborers with Him and in that we should be blessed and in awe of His graciousness and His mercy.
Hmmm, the process of evaporation was known back in the 10th century B.C., Just a little side note.
Behold, God is great, and we know Him not! The number of His years is unsearchable. [I Cor. 13:12.] For He draws up the drops of water, which distil as rain from His vapor, Which the skies pour down and drop abundantly upon [the multitudes of] mankind. (Job 36:26-28 AMP)
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