January 9, 2017 – Job 21-23 – In the Beginning

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Job 21-23. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read His Word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

What Does This Passage Say?

• In our reading today, Job is astounded that his friends continue to blame him and offer no comfort in his time of need. All along Job has held true to be a man who did everything he could to honor God. However, his friends, especially Eliphaz, believe that all that has happened to Job is a direct result of his sins.
• That is precisely where Eliphaz goes here. Job has defended his life … but Eliphaz does not believe him. If it isn’t a sin that we can all see, then it must be a hidden sin. A sin that Job has kept out of sight in the privacy of his own home and his own life.
• Eliphaz believes this because he has a preconceived notion about who God is and why God allows bad things to happen to good people. He believes God’s punishment is because God is judging us for our sins. If Job does not have public sin, then he must at the very least have private sin.
• Job, is bitter, Job is hurting, Job is confused by what God has allowed to happen, but he knows his heart, he knows that he hides no sin, that he stands before God admitting his sins and seeking forgiveness for them. While Job may hurt, he remains faithful to God.

What is This Passage Teaching?

• This passage, along with the book of Job is a good reminder that we all come to God with preconceived ideas about who He is. To some God is a bully on an ant hill with a magnifying glass waiting to smite those who step out of line. To others God is love without justice, and there is no way a loving God would send someone to Hell because of sin. To some we have an incomplete picture, because we have failed to read the whole of Scripture and failed to connect all the dots. This is where Eliphaz is at and it puts him in a very dangerous position.

How Can I Apply this Passage to my Life

• Take a few moments to pray and seek God’s wisdom in your heart and mind about the preconceived ideas you have about God. Perhaps a simple activity would be to make a list of the attributes and characteristics of God you believe are true. Ask God to help you remove the misconceptions and to see Him for who He truly is.