Thursday, September 23, 2010

Job Chapters 31 - 37

31:1-3 - As part of his case, which he hopes will prove that he has not intentionally done anything to bring calamity on his life, Job states that he has even made a covenant with God to protect his eyes from lust. This should be something that every man does. Job implies that the only things lust brings to a man are unrighteousness and disaster. I would agree.

31:13-15 - Job wonders how people could belittle people of "lower" status or ignore their requests. What is it that makes one man think he is better than another? Are we not all formed by God in the image of God? Are we not at the most basic of levels...equals? Job feels that all people should be treated with decency and respect...all people whether they are believers or not are the children of God.

31:24-28 - Those who love wealth and serve it have been disloyal to their creator. They reject the one and only God who alone is worthy of worship.Loving wealth is greed...greed is idolatry - it is really that simple.

32:8-9 - It is not the age of a person that makes him/her wise, it is the Spirit of God within that person. Wisdom comes from understanding your own foolishness and relinquishing control of your life to the Spirit of God. Elihu, the youngest man present, rebukes his elders.

32:17-19 - I would be interested to hear what people think about this passage, because it is a little confusing for me. Elihu believes his is speaking out of conviction from the Spirit of God and the things he is saying are definitely true, but he still does not fully understand the situation that Job is in. So the questions is - is this section correct...or is Elihu misguided like the other friends?

33:27-28 - This is a great passage about the merciful nature of God. A sinful person that does not deserve redemption is offered mercy and saved from the pit...from this point forward their life is always looking to the light. This should be a picture of our lives. As Christians we were undeservedly forgiven of our sins and that should drive us to constantly seek the path of godliness.

34:11-12 - Even Elihu has a very simplistic understanding of God's justice. Yes, God repays evil, but not always on our time table and not always in the earthly realm. Yet the fact of the matter is that God does not ever pervert justice...He cannot, He is the definition of justice! So I think we can all assume that if something seems unfair and unjust in the world...there is justice yet to come. Things will be made right in the end.

37:23-24 - Elihu closes his statements with simple truth - he speaks about the character of God. God is great in power, great in justice and great in His righteousness. May I never forget this truth.

No comments: