Today's Reading:

Job 25
Job 26
Job 27
Job 28

 
In chapters 26-28, Job exposed the terrifying vastness of God’s power. Job refused to surrender his integrity and still declared that the wicked would ultimately fall. He then admitted that wisdom was hidden from every creature and only found in God. The grace appeared exactly here: the One whose thunder no one can endure (26:14) and who alone knows where wisdom dwells. God had told humans how to gain wisdom, it was in the fear of the Lord. This was the first light of a God who seemed far away and yet had come down to give us the one thing we needed, trust. So, ask yourself these questions:

1. What am I still trying to buy or dig up that only God can give, such as knowledge, control, success, security, and happiness?

2. Do I actually believe in the “fear of the Lord” and being humble and obedient, or do I think I need something above it?

3. When life feels chaotic and meaningless, am I willing to accept the God who hung the earth sees me and told me the path to wisdom- to simply trust and obey Him?

 

Bildad (friend #2) spoke very shortly adding nothing new, just that absolutely everyone was a sinner and that God was very powerful and holy. He stated that no person could be pure in the sight of God, not even the moon or starts were pure enough. What he was not understanding was that God uses His power not just to judge, but also to show kindness and forgiveness. If God considered the cosmic realm to be imperfect, how could we then grasp the standard by which we were then being judged?

Job retorted to Bildad and his friends chastising them sarcastically and asked, “how have you helped the powerless, how have you saved them, how have you counseled?” He told them their comfort was useless. Job then described God as even knowing what happens in Hell, that He was more vast and terrifying than anyone could imaging, as God was the one who suspended the earth over nothing, and He slayed the sea-monsters, how could we figure out Gods control because what He reveals only scratches the surface of his majestic powers.

Jobs faith continued in chapter 27 when he complained that God made his life bitter, but that he would never admit his friends were right or deny his integrity. He then cursed his enemies and prayed that anyone who would come after him would suffer the fate that they insisted belonged to the guilty. He described what the fate of the wicked was and that the tables would be turned: the wicked man’s children would be cut off, his wealth would vanish, terror would take over, the wicked man would be laughed at and ridiculed, God would reign calamity on him with no mercy. This was not for the worldly life- but the final end. God would ultimately judge the wicked beyond what humans could see.

Job then wondered about true wisdom and where it could be found. In verses 28:1-11 he said there was a “mine for silver and a place where gold can be refined”, about how humans could conquer the physical world and nothing was beyond reach. In verses 12-19, he claimed that wisdom could not be mined like gold or bought; it was priceless. It was not in deep places (the far reaches of creation). Then in verses 20-28 Job gave the answer- God understood the way to wisdom and He alone knew where it dwelled. All wisdom comes from God and true wisdom comes from awe and fear of the Lord. There is wisdom in suffering. This foreshadows the upcoming speech by God. The answer to Job’s pain would not come through better reasoning but would come from the One who alone had wisdom. By living in the “fear of the Lord” and shunning evil, Job had already gained true wisdom- God, and God alone.

Today's Discussion question: 

In the reading I asked you to ponder the following questions, is there one that you find harder or need to work on?

• What am I still trying to buy or dig up that only God can give such as knowledge, control success, security and happiness?
• Do I actually believe in the “fear of the Lord” and being humble and obedient, or do I think I need something above it?
• When life feels chaotic and meaningless, am I willing to accept the God who hung the earth sees me and told me the path to wisdom- to simply trust and obey Him?

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