It's hard for me to read these attacks on Job by so-called friends. It's bringing up old memories of untrue and unfair accusations against me and others whom I love.
It's your sin that taught you to talk this way (15:4)
Do you think you're the first person to have to deal with these things? (15:6)
Do you think you're the only one who knows anything? (15:7)
Why do you let your emotions take over? (15:11)Unkind. Cutting. Sarcastic. Accusatory. All the while, Eliphaz doesn't appear to notice his own sin, solely focusing on Job's perceived sin.
I don't deal very well with being misunderstood like this. It's only through the Spirit of God that I have any self-control in these kinds of situations. I'm amazed that Job has the patience to let these windbags finish their speeches.
I appreciate Eugene Peterson's perspective on Eliphaz:
"What can those of us who know the end of the story learn from Eliphaz? That words spoken authoritatively about God aren't necessarily authoritatively true. And neither are the accusations against others, regardless of how authoritatively they're voiced. We are judged by the bluster of our prosecutors. And we aren't' judged by a jury of our peers. We are judged by God. Only he is wise enough to sift through the evidence and render a just verdict." Conversations, pg. 736.I also appreciate that Job doesn't roll over and take the abuse by these men. He defends himself. And in the end, he appeals to
Someone in heaven who knows the truth about me, in highest heaven, some Attorney who can clear my name - My Champion, my Friend...I appeal to the One who represents mortals before God as a neighbor stands up for a neighbor. (16:20-21)Thankfully, we know who that Someone is, our Champion and Friend:
Now we know what we have - Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God - let's not let it slip through our fingers. We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. Hebrews 4:14 (Msg)
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and me, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 1 Timothy 2:5-6 (ESV)God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) He is the One who judges righteously. Only His words are authoritative.
2 comments:
As I read these passages, I kept thinking - are you kidding me? Did they forget all the things that Job was going through? I think I would have surely lost my temper. Sigh.
But then I sat back and realized that I think I am wise enough to give people the counsel that I "judge" they need. So, I think i might need to put down my stone. Something that God has been really hitting me with lately is the realization that I don't know people's thoughts, motives, hurts, fears, or sin. God does. I don't make a very good judge. If I am to offer counsel, I had better be in prayer asking for God's wisdom and heart because I just don't know someone else's complete situation.
I really like what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4:3-
"I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me."
Whew, I think my blood pressure is back to normal now!
I hear you, Stacy! I'm being confronted with the same thing.
Why is it that the older I get, the less I realize I know? And the more I read of God's Word, the more I'm SURE that I don't know anything!
The dismantling continues. God is causing me to look again at all of the false idols that I've put my identity in, especially as we wrestle with suffering. Ugh.
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