JOB 3-4: DAY 12: JOURNEY THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
January 12, 2023
JOB 3-4
DAY 12: JOURNEY THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
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Focus Verses For Today: Job 4:7-8; Matthew 5:45
Our journey today continues through the book of Job. If you are wondering where the land of Uz, the setting of the Book of Job, is located, it is clear that the scholars do not have a precise location. It is believed that it could have been in modern-day Jordon, Dhofar, Bashan, or modern-day Uzbekistan. It is safe to say, at least for now, no one knows with certainty where Uz, of Job’s time, was located. Complicating matters; the word Uz was used by the Israelites to describe a region and not a specific place within that region. It could be anywhere.
Ask the Lord for His understanding of Job 3-4. Read Job 3-4. Let’s journey!
Job 3-4: Today’s reading continues directly where we left off last week; Satan making Job’s life miserable because God withdrew His protection for a time (although Satan could still not kill Job). So far, Job has refused to curse God! Our reading today begins with Job asking why these terrible things have happened and continue to happen. Job begins a thorough self-examination of himself as he asks God what has happened in his life. One of Job’s friends, Eliphaz, whose purpose for coming to see Job was to comfort him, decides to confront Job instead. Fundamentally, Eliphaz tells Job that he must have a secret hidden sin because God does not reward His true followers this way. (Job 3:1-4:21)
Our focus verses for today:
“Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished?
Where were the upright ever destroyed?
8 As I have observed, those who plow evil
and those who sow trouble reap it. (Job 4:7-8, NIV)
He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good,
and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:45b, NIV)
It appears that the Jewish people of this time believed that God rewarded the righteous by protecting them from all forms of evil. God gave them good health, prosperity, and protection from the actions of evil-doers. The failure to be righteous would result in all sorts of calamities entering your life. This principle, shared by all three of Job’s friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, is the Principle of Devine Retribution.
Eliphaz meant well but failed to understand who God is. Eliphaz did not understand Job’s relationship with God. Eliphaz’s first error was assuming God was doing this to Job. Although God allowed Satan to test Job’s faith in God in all things, short of taking Job’s own life, God did not inflict the suffering Job experienced on him. Satan did! God considered Job a righteous man meaning retribution would not be justified. Satan set out to prove that Job’s love of God was predicated on the blessings (Wealth, Health, Family) Job had received from God. Satan believed that if all of Job’s blessings were taken from Job: Job would curse God. What do you think? What is your relationship with God?
Godspeace!
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