For Christian Sisters

A friend in need

07 July 2020 AnneT Blog, Job An ordered list of links for each blog series is on the Archive page. (0)

Job Sees The Light - Seventh in a series

Hover over the Scripture references to read the verses under discussion. The New International Version will be useful to compare.

Job 6:1-4 Eliphaz ended by encouraging Job to turn from his wrongs, and in so doing, to enjoy God’s blessings. Job responds, not by acknowledging sin, but by asking for understanding.

The eloquent Job makes no apologies, but only likens the heaviness of his anguish to the weight of all the sand of the oceans. To him it is no exaggeration.

Job 6:5-7 Brutes and dumb animals are quiet when their appetites are appeased, and whichever of these Job most resembles to his friends, he too would cease bellowing if he were not starved for the milk of human kindness and the bread of divine compassion.

God has rejected him and his friend has berated him. The words of Eliphaz are tasteless food, as repulsive as an egg white. Job’s appetite for understanding rages.

Job 6:8-12 His strength is gone. After all, he is only a man.

Job 6:13 But though he is decimated he is not without the ability to reason.

And now, let us remember Satan's goal in this story, that Job should curse God. (Job 1:11; 2:5) So far, destroying his home, herds, flocks and children did not move Job to this sin, nor did afflicting his body and marring his appearance. New tactics are needed when such others fail!

Satan can use emotional upheavals to draw us into baseless controversies with our family, friends and enemies. Then, he sets himself up as both coach and referee, urging each one to fight beyond his endurance and encouraging foul play. Round after round, we go round and round. Once in the ring, it is hard to get out without one party being defeated. Usually, Satan is the only one to win.

Job 6:14 Should a despairing man have the devotion of his friends even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty? Job thinks so. True friends, he believes, should recognize that a despairing man needs support, not criticism.

And Job, would it also be fair to say that a glorious God should have the devotion of his subjects, even when his ways are inscrutable?

Job 6:15-20 Job is severely disappointed in his friends upon whom he had counted for understanding. In the walk of faith we learn to hope in God alone, the one who never disappoints.

Job 6:21-23 Job protests that he has not asked his friends to remit anything valuable for him, but only to support him. They would not give the little they could.

Those who are suffering— whether divorced, widowed, unemployed or bankrupted, often find their circle of friends suddenly depleted. That may be better than having friends who stay loyal but undermine their efforts to recover.

Job 6:24-30 Job is becoming defensive. Though he says Teach me, he does not feel his friends would have anything good to say and resents their meddling.

The defensive person is a mild schizophrenic, for he has two faces within: one with a haughty look, the other which betrays feelings of inferiority. His inner man is plagued with uncertainties about his worth and standing. If he were comfortable with himself, he would not be bothered by outside opinions.

Job’s anger at his friends could reveal a superiority complex. Those with great vanity and pride are the ones who take great offense at their detractors. But perhaps it is only that he resents being accused of wrongs he has not committed. He is being accused of lying, and he resents this insult to his integrity.

Job 6:28-29 NIV It is impossible that one’s integrity can be blackened by the disapproval of other people or improved by their esteem. Integrity has to do with whether our beliefs, words and actions are good and in harmony. What others think of us does not matter. A person with integrity may be the least poplar in a group situation.

Job 6:30 Job insists he has his bearings; his innerworkings— his mind, conscience and discernment are not impaired!

Get right with God!

29 June 2020 AnneT Blog, Job An ordered list of links for each blog series is on the Archive page. (0)

Job Sees The Light - Sixth in a series

Hover over the Scripture references to read the verses under discussion

Job 5:1 Eliphaz continues. Certainly, the “saint” whom Eliphaz met in his sleep would not be a helpful “holy one.”

The search for an intermediary is an important theme of the book of Job. Job will long to find one, and he will prophesy about Jesus. The era before Christ was a time of leaning forward to understand. But then as now, the godly person must not entertain or listen to false Christs and demons.

Job 5:2-7 Eliphaz suggests Job may be envious and resentful like those who are foolish and silly. That type of person endangers his children through his attitudes. Yet, Job’s children are not in a predicament— they are dead, and not through any fault of Job. Has Eliphaz fathomed this? He seems to consign Job’s dilemma to ‘the way life is.’

Job 5:8 He advises petitioning the Lord. First he told Job to hope in his own goodness; next he surmised that Job had not really been very good; now he encourages him to appeal to God. What is the basis of the appeal? That Job has done much good? Yet has he not done much bad, as evidenced by his disastrous straits?

Though Job does not perceive anything in himself worthy of the extreme condemnation he has suffered, he will do as Eliphaz recommends. He will lay his case before the Lord and appeal to him on the basis of his own goodness. And up to the end, he will believe he can justify himself before the Lord. This is man’s great blindness— believing an impossible thing to the death.

Job 5:9-16 But nothing is impossible with God who can confound the wicked and preserve the weak.

Job 5:17-18 Eliphaz gets to the point! All the terrible things that have crushed Job were to punish him for wrongs he committed. Now, if he will accept God’s discipline, he will be blessed again.

Job 5:19-21 The Christian’s heart longs to believe that deliverance and protection will always be given to him. In the long run they are, but at times the sifting of saints is permitted. Is the sifting by means of false accusations worse than that from the loss of possessions? Perhaps so. James wrote: The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. When Satan rails against us through the mouth of a friend, no amount of answering or reasoning will satisfy his appetite for devouring us. Our responses only further confuse the ‘discussion.’ Only if we are right with God may we resist and rebuke the devil so that he is forced to exit.

Job 5:22-27 Eliphaz has proposed many ideas, but in this crowning advice he is true to his name, God is dispenser. God is a divine being, he suggests, who gives prizes in return for certain behaviors.

Satan wants us to believe that salvation is a mechanical prospect, but it is not. It is a matter of the heart.

Discouraging words

23 June 2020 AnneT Blog, Job An ordered list of links for each blog series is on the Archive page. (0)

Job Sees The Light - Fifth in a series

Hover over the Scripture references to read the verses under discussion

Job 4:1-2 May I say something that makes you uncomfortable?

Job 4:3-6 Satan is working through Eliphaz to focus Job on himself. The more he can inspire Job to ponder his own righteousness, the less he will be open to the wisdom which God has for him.

Job 4:7-9 In a general sense, what Eliphaz says is true though examples could be noted to deny his words. For example, Abel had done no wrong but was murdered by his brother, and some evil people are never brought to justice before they die, as a study of history will show.

Job 4:10-11 There is a lion whose power only Christ can break— Satan, the “roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Pet 5:8) And he seems to never lack for prey.

Job 4:12-15 In fact, Eliphaz was the prey of a Satanic emissary. He describes a haunting experience that occurred while he slept. Demons favor tactics like harassing victims while they are semi-conscious.

Tragically, in this day many people are seeking out visitations from spirits through “New Age” techniques such as deep meditation or guided hypnosis. The fallen angels, disguising themselves as angels of light, are delighted to reveal themselves to this credulous souls. Unless the person disavows such occult practices by personal knowledge of Jesus Christ’s power, he or she will never be free of the spirits so contacted.

Job 4:16-19 One psychological technique Satan and his hosts use to turn man from God is to suggest to him that God is not concerned with or about man. It is one of their “flaming arrows” against which man must take up the shield of faith. (Eph 6:16) They can impress this thought on him while he is fully awake, but when they do so in ghostly form at night it shows their penchant for imitation of God who at times sends dreams and visions.

This demon’s message to Eliphaz is that mortals have no hope of measuring up to God’s standards, and since God has condemned his angels (or some of them), how much more will he condemn man who is inferior to angels? Inferior? In what way? Is this a partial truth?— a tactic often employed by demons.

Job 4:20-21 Anyone who believes life ends at death will certainly die without wisdom.

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