JULY 11, 2013 THOUGHTS FROM JOB CHAPTER 15 OVERVIEW Eliphaz, Job’s first accuser, is back and reproofs Job of empty words that condemns himself. Eliphaz, the elderly of all, uses his age as evidence that he knows better, probably than Job. He argues that even if all that surrounds God is not trustworthy He cannot trust man. He argues using his traditional knowledge, his common philosophy, his worldview that the wicked suffer and even arrogant before God. Before long the wicked are stripped off anything they own, wither and varnish. LESSONS 1. While the argument is somehow valid but let us remember the context that is leading us in the good of Job. There is a big picture and a bigger issue which we are trying to understand and must be put in its proper perspective. This is the great controversy between Christ and Satan in which Job has been caught unawares due to the fact Satan is trying to show some mastery, some control, usurp authority; to show that people can actually lose their faith when God’s hedge of protection is compromised. Job even wonders what is happening in His life. He trusts God and endeavors by faith to be sinless. 2. Truly old age brings a bank of knowledge that emanates from experience. However, it is good enough sometimes to remember that things changes. Our conceptual framework from an old philosophy or worldview may not be applicable in each and every situation. Spiritually, we should remember that God’s ways cannot be fathomed by man. His wisdom is unsearchable. We cannot defend his ways using our own philosophies and worldly world view. We are called upon to patiently learn from His revelation; His revealed Word, His written Word, His living Word and His spoken Word. 3. If our own knowledge seem to be in conflict with what we have known. If God’s Word seem to be in conflict with our knowledge of His will. Pause and wonder, before committing speculative sins which have eternal repercussions. 4. Stereotyping is another mistake Eliphaz is making. Eliphaz believes that if you are good, God blesses you and if you are bad, God punishes you. Since bad things happened with Job, he must have been full of “guilt” and “crafty” (v. 5). He has just interpreted his data subjectively. There is no objectivity in His understanding. He fails to employ the alternative hypothesis, having employed in vain a null hypothesis and finds it not working. This is also our problem most of the times. We put people in categories subjectively. We do not even think that there are some things we do know. We go ahead and publish our views and in course of judgment we abuse and even traumatize other people. 5. Those are connected with God in any circle of worldly issues or spiritual issues are always a step ahead in their understanding of issues. “Christian thinkers have been correct when they pointed out that if you “liberate yourself” from the Bible, the size of your frame of reference shrinks. Jobs asks his three friends why their “eyes flash” when they feel like they have trapped him with their questions and answers (v. 12) (Koot van Wyk).” 6. Christ is our righteousness. No one can claim purity on this earth, says Eliphaz, “no one born of a woman is righteous?” (v. 14). But Christ was righteous. He is our righteousness and that is what Job experienced which Eliphaz fails to understand. In one sense, Eliphaz is a mouthpiece for Lucifer by saying that God does not trust anyone, the same accusation of Lucifer brought against God during the Rebellion in Heaven (vv. 15-16). A second accusation against God follows: “and the heavens are not pure in His eyes” totally against Genesis 1-2 and closer to Genesis 3 and the snake (Koot van Wyk). Dear God, Help us to be not only fixed on what we see around us but to look up from whence all our help cometh. Store us safely in Your memory and heart before any days of suffering come our way. Amen GOD BLESS YOU, SAINTS.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Jul 2013 04:31:20 +0000
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