TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Colossians 2:20-3:2
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. - Colossians 3:2
TODAY IN THE WORD
In his classic book, The Knowledge of the Holy, A. W. Tozer fervently prayed to have the mind of Christ: “You, O Christ, who were tempted in all points like as I am, yet without sin, make me strong to overcome the desire to be wise and to be reputed wise by others as ignorant as myself. I turn from my wisdom as well as from my folly and flee to you, the wisdom of God and the power of God. Amen.”

At this point in our study, we understand clearly that our leisure choices matter to God, that they cultivate fruit and have spiritual consequences, that they require wisdom, and that they, like all of life, are part of how we walk with God. There is no neutral ground, no corner of life we may selfishly reserve for our personal pleasures. Free time is not free from our calling as disciples of Christ.

Based on today’s reading, then, how can we summarize several key principles we’ve studied about godly leisure? One certainty is that in our pursuit of genuine rest, beauty, and pleasure, we need to leave behind worldliness and legalism. In Paul’s words, “Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 'Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!’?” (2:20–21). Worldliness and legalism are merely human and completely useless for discipleship. We, on the other hand, want a life based on truths and practices that are eternal, divine, and effective in our ongoing spiritual journeys.

Therefore, we are to live life, including leisure, according to two principles: “Set your hearts on things above” and “Set your minds on things above” (3:1–2). These imperatives suggest that our whole being--including thoughts, feelings, desires, goals, and efforts--must be devoted to God’s ways.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Is there a leisure activity you used to enjoy, but somehow it’s gotten crowded out of your life? Perhaps you used to enjoy reading biographies, or knitting, or putting jigsaw puzzles together, or playing your trumpet, or boating in a local lake.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. - 1 Corinthians 10:31
TODAY IN THE WORD
No doubt you’ve heard of a “Puritan work ethic” or a “Protestant work ethic.” At its best, such an ethic can contribute to professionalism, integrity, and compassion in the workplace. But what about the other side of the coin? What about a Christian “play ethic”? The phrase may sound strange, but that’s essentially what we’ve been developing during this month’s study. As much as we need wisdom to guide us when we’re on the job, we also need wisdom to guide us when we’re at play!

In light of today’s reading, we might frame the question this way: how can we play to the glory of God? Paul reiterated two truths we’ve found central all month long: freedom, “everything is permissible,” and love, “but not everything is beneficial.” Even in leisure, we are to seek the good of others (10:23–24).

“That’s just great,” you may be thinking. “Even in my free time I have to worry about God’s glory and others’ edification. What about me?!” So deep runs the influence of our me-first culture that we might actually think this is a legitimate question. We must grasp that loving God and our neighbor will bring us all that really matters in life.

How did Paul apply these truths? Freedom meant that anything could be eaten to the glory of God, even meat sacrificed to idols. But love meant that strong believers might abstain from eating such meat under certain circumstances for the sake of those with weak consciences. While it may not be easy to distinguish between weaker believers who need a helping hand and those who are judging us based on their own convictions or choices, our priority is to seek the good of our fellow disciples. The bottom line: “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (10:31).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In light of our study this month, set a specific godly leisure goal for next month. We know that this season can be a busy “back to school” time for those with kids, and it’s the “end of vacation” season at the office as well. All the more reason to set a leisure goal! Otherwise, God’s gifts of rest, beauty, and pleasure might get neglected in the rush of urgent needs and tasks. What-ever goal you choose, ask that it would glorify God and fulfill the principles we’ve studied.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Psalm 51
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love. - Psalm 51:17
TODAY IN THE WORD
The pornography industry is booming. From 1985 through 2000, adult video rentals increased nearly tenfold, from 75 million to 721 million. Overall revenue nearly doubled, from $7 million to $12 million. More than 70,000 Web sites are pay-for-porn, with countless more featuring free immoral content.

David had a rooftop, not a Web site, but the view from up there—Bathsheba bathing—tempted him to adultery and murder. Nathan's rebuke called the king back to the Lord (see 2 Sam. 11-12), at which point he wrote today's well-known psalm of confession and repentance. As Leland Ryken suggests in his book, Words of Delight, this psalm follows the outline of a typical lament:

(1) Invocation or cry to God (vv. 1-2). Throwing himself on God's mercy and compassion, David begged for spiritual cleansing. This is every sinner's position before God.

(2) Lament or complaint (vv. 3-6). David grieved over his wrongdoing, understanding that sin is always first and foremost a transgression against a holy God. In other lament psalms, the cause might be something external, but in this case the king condemned himself.

(3) Petition or supplication (vv. 7-12). He wanted not only forgiveness or a clean slate, but a renewed intimacy with the Lord. His list of petitions thus included a pure heart, steadfast spirit, God's presence, His Holy Spirit, joy, and the willingness to obey.

(4) Statement of confidence in God (vv. 13-17). David knew God would not despise or ignore his prayer but would forgive him. Overlapping with the next point, he also vowed personally to praise, sacrifice, and teach others the ways of God.

(5) Vow to praise God (vv. 18-19). David looked ahead to the day when as the spiritually restored king he could again lead in worship and bring back God's blessing and favor to the nation.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
One of the Christian's most precious promises is this: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). As David did, we need to repent of our sins, and when we do we can trust in the power of God's forgiveness: “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (Ps. 103:12). As the Spirit convicts you today, repent and enjoy the privilege of God's forgiveness.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Job 1:1-5
Job . . . was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. - Job 1:1
TODAY IN THE WORD
The walk along the beach had been magical. The sky was a crisp blue, and the waves sparkled in the sunlight. Small children giggled as they splashed in gentle waves. Suddenly the mood was broken. As two young kids walked with their parents, they came across a dead gull that had been caught in a fishing net.

“How come this bird died?” asked one of the kids.

“Did he do something bad?” asked the other.

The presence of death and suffering in our world prompts these questions. Why do bad things happen for no apparent reason? Why do “good” people get cancer or some children die?

Our natural human tendency is to look for answers. We often think that if we know the reason, then we can accept the tragedy. But, as anyone who has suffered can attest, often there are no easy answers--at least humanly speaking.

The book of Job, our study this month, helps us to consider suffering from the divine perspective. Throughout Job’s long ordeal, he’s completely unaware that God is accomplishing His own divine purposes. It’s only at the end of his trial that Job begins to see God’s hand in it all. Even then, Job does not find explanations; rather, he sees God more clearly. Job is a powerful example that continues to instruct and encourage believers today.

We don’t know who wrote Job. Some have suggested that Job is a fictional character, but it’s likely that he was a real person who may have written part of this book himself. Others have suggested that Elihu, who appears later in this work, was the author.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We know Job is blameless and upright. He worships God and avoids evil. He’s concerned for his children’s spiritual well-being (v. 5).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Job 1:6-22
A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. - Luke 12:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
It’s hard to imagine what confronted Job in a single day! In our own time, this would be like losing our job, all our savings and investments, all our material assets, such as our house and car, and our children at once. Even Shakespeare couldn’t have come up with a more wrenching tragedy.

Yesterday, we learned that Job was the greatest man among the peoples of the East (Job 1:3). Today’s generation might suspect a very wealthy person of being greedy, but in the ancient world, richness was considered an indication of God’s favor. In fact, this is how Satan understood Job’s riches (v. 10). So Job’s loss was great in part because his wealth was so vast. The most horrific part of his loss, of course, was the death of his children.

As we suggested yesterday, the book of Job offers much wisdom on suffering. Perhaps most importantly, Job teaches that a human perspective is necessarily limited. Far beyond human understanding is the mind of God. This higher perspective is introduced in Job by the appearance of the so-called divine council. In verse 6, we find the angels and Satan coming before the royal court of the sovereign Lord. Here we see the destructive nature of Satan, who is roaming the earth looking for victims. We also see his cynical understanding of faith; he claims that people only believe in God for what they can get.

The most important thing to observe in this passage is that God, not Satan, is in full control. God brings Job to Satan’s attention. God allows Satan to afflict Job. This is not a teetering balance between the forces of good and evil! This is the sovereign God before whom Satan must obtain permission to act. This is one of the key points of Job, and we will return to it again.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Job’s immediate response to his awful situation is to praise God. This suggests that Job already had a habit to praise God. Because he had learned to praise God in the good times, he was ready to praise Him in the bad times.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Job 2:1-13
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised. - Job 1:21
TODAY IN THE WORD
According to some, the world hangs in a precarious balance between forces of good and evil. One can only hope that things will turn out all right in the end. Given current events, this view is understandable. The problem is that this view is contrary to biblical reality, where there’s no doubt that God’s victory is certain because Satan is a defeated enemy.

The picture given in Job 1 and 2 is not a balanced scale that might tip either toward good or evil! Instead, Satan must receive permission to carry out his destructive plans. This point is crucial to a correct view of human suffering. God sets the boundaries . . . period.

These first two chapters of Job reveal a larger framework for understanding human suffering. Job only sees what’s happening on earth, but the book of Job lets us see what’s happening in heaven. Thus, the human experience of suffering is not the full story. Rather, God is actively accomplishing His own purposes even, or perhaps especially, when those who suffer are unaware of it.

Job 2 shows us more of Satan’s cynical view of faith. Satan’s motto would be, “When the going gets tough, the 'tough’ desert God.” It’s impossible for him to understand how someone could remain faithful to God, even to the point of death (v. 4). (The expression “skin for skin” probably reflects Satan’s view that Job’s initial suffering had not really touched his body.) But the sovereign Lord has confidence in Job’s character and the example he will be to others who remain faithful despite horrific circumstances.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
It’s easy to miss the impact of verse 13. Job’s friends’ silence could seem cold and heartless. After all, aren’t friends supposed to speak words of comfort? Well, not always. Sometimes there really isn’t anything that can be said. Sometimes the best thing we can do is to sit silently with those who suffer and allow ourselves to enter into their pain. Sometimes our silent presence is our best and most caring ministry.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Job 3:1-26
My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, “Where is your God? - Psalm 42:3
TODAY IN THE WORD
In his book, Epitome, the Roman historian Cassius Dio recorded that one of Emperor Hadrian’s enemies uttered the following curse just before his execution by order of the emperor: “. . . As for Hadrian, this is my only prayer, that he may long for death but be unable to die.”

With all that Job had experienced, he might have felt that he had somehow received this dreadful curse. At least he believed that if he’d never been born, he would be experiencing the peace that now eluded him (v. 13). (In verses 13 and 14, we find a vague reference to the afterlife, although Job’s understanding of it is not precise.) It’s important to note that although Job curses the day of his birth, he never curses God, as Satan predicted he would.

Job’s speech makes it clear that he “tells it like it is.” These may not be the words we’d expect of a believer, but they’re an honest reflection of Job’s heart. Instead of worrying about the right kind of prayer, Job pours out his heart before the Lord without caring if his words were pious or theologically correct! Like the psalmist who wrote today’s key verse, the depth of Job’s confidence before the Lord is found in his freedom to lay bare his wounded soul.

Today’s passage also begins a series of speeches that alternate between Job and his three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. As we’ll see, Job’s speeches offer true wisdom about suffering, whereas his friends offer “conventional wisdom” that sounds good, but actually reflects some very faulty views of God.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As noted earlier, a common perception among Christians is that honest, deep despair somehow reflects a lack of faith. Sometimes we hear that if we were really trusting the Lord, then we’d always be joyful.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Job 4:1-21
Those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it. - Job 4:8
TODAY IN THE WORD
You’ve probably heard people say, “Well, they only got what they deserved!” or “What goes around, comes around!” Common sense suggests that there’s a cause and effect relationship between people’s actions and the events that occur in their life. To some extent this is true--after all, we read in Galatians 6:7, “A man reaps what he sows.” The problem is that this principle cannot be applied blindly to every person or to every situation.

This is exactly what’s wrong with the approach of the first of Job’s friends, Eliphaz. For him, it’s clear why Job suffered: Job must have sinned. In the ancient world, most people believed that suffering was due to sin, in the same way that material abundance confirmed that a person was good. So Job’s affliction would have been seen as God’s judgment. This way of thinking is sometimes called “retribution theology.”

Eliphaz’s words show why the first two chapters of Job stressed his righteous character and his blameless conduct. As we noted, this prologue showed that Job’s suffering was not the result of sin. Moreover, as readers, we have been allowed to “overhear” the heavenly council, so we know that there are divine purposes at work, although Job and his friends have not been given the same insight.

Throughout the book, each of the friends’ speeches is followed by a reply from Job. This juxtaposition contrasts conventional versus true wisdom. Each of the three friends will present common, but wrong, views on suffering. Job, on the other hand, will reveal a deeper view of God and the mysteries of suffering. Job is not always right, but he is real and offers many helpful insights.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The story of the man born blind in John 9 makes it clear that many illnesses are not the result of sin (see especially John 9:1–5). This account reveals that suffering can bring glory to God.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Job 6:1-13; 7:11-21
How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Why do you tolerate wrong? - Habakkuk 1:2–3
TODAY IN THE WORD
Medical experts warn that repressed anger can cause headaches, nausea, or other health problems. Perhaps because of this, there are many who encourage people to stop bottling up their anger and to let it all out. The problem with this approach, however, is that anger can be very destructive--both to the angry person and to those around. So what are we to do with our anger, especially as Christians? Job can help us out here.

Job begins his second speech by explaining why he has cried out so bitterly. When the full extent of his suffering is understood, it’s no wonder he has spoken rashly (6:3). He has moved from silence (Job 2), to lament (Job 3), to anger. Part of Job’s anger is no doubt in response to Eliphaz’s presumptuous accusations (see Job 6:14–30). But more importantly, Job’s anger reflects his pain at being misunderstood and his deep confusion as to what is happening to him. Whereas he had once enjoyed God’s favor and fellowship, it now seems that God’s arrows and terrors are aimed at him (6:4). Under the crushing weight of his anguish, Job once again pleads that God might take his life.

The key to understanding Job’s outburst is found in Job 6:10. Despite all that has happened and all that Job has said, he knows that he has not denied the Lord. There are several instructive observations to be made from this.

First, Job communicates his anger to God. He does not turn from God or deny Him. He doesn’t take out his frustrations on others. Instead, he prays that the very One whose arrows are directed at him would graciously show him mercy.

Second, Job admits that he is angry with God. He does not understand what God is doing, and he’s not afraid to let God know it. He doesn’t pretend or try to cover his emotions.

Finally, Job realizes that he can’t bottle up his frustration and fear (7:11). Here we find very honest, almost accusatory, words. But, and this is essential, these words reflect Job’s heart; even in his anger, Job continues to talk to God.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As we’ve noted, many Christians think that anger isn’t an acceptable emotion. But honest anger directed to God is better than denial. Many prophets expressed honest anger with God. So we need to realize that pretending we aren’t angry isn’t acceptable. Instead, we need to learn how to express all our emotions to God. If we are ministering to one who is angry, perhaps the best thing we can do is to lead that person into the presence of the Lord where honest anger can be freely expressed.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Job 8:1-22
Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. - Isaiah 29:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
In the popular musical, Fiddler on the Roof, the main characters, Tevye and his family, sing a rousing tribute to the backbone of their way of life . . . tradition! There’s no doubt about each family member’s role because of tradition. All life’s questions are settled by appealing to tradition.

If Job’s friends were to sing from Fiddler on the Roof, then Bildad, the second of Job’s friends to speak, would sing “Tradition!” For Bildad, the explanation for Job’s suffering is found in the wisdom of the ancients. Like Eliphaz, Bildad believes that suffering is the result of some sin, either on the part of Job or his children. Therefore the solution to Job’s problem must be repentance.

Bildad begins his speech by affirming God’s perfect justice (vv. 2–7). Job would certainly agree with these statements, but he would deny that they fit his situation. Bildad’s dogmatism leads him to suggest cruelly that Job’s children brought their own deaths upon themselves (v. 4). Job 1, however, in no way indicates that Job’s children had done anything worthy of death. Bildad goes on to claim that there’s still time for Job to repent so that he will not suffer the same fate. Bildad simply cannot entertain the possibility that there could be any explanation for Job’s suffering other than sin.

Bildad supports his claims by appealing to the wisdom of past generations (vv. 8–19). He cites proverbial statements about the fate of the godless. Just as papyrus reeds grow quickly but wither, and just as spider webs do not provide a solid foundation, so too the godless man will perish. The conclusion of these statements is that Job must be godless. If Job were as righteous as he claimed to be, then he would not be experiencing such suffering.

The conclusion of Bildad’s speech most clearly shows his cause and effect thinking. If Job simply repents, his material wealth will be restored. As we have already noted, not every difficult circumstance is the consequence of sin. But, in Bildad’s tidy theology, there’s no possibility for a faith-building trial ordained by God.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Bildad’s intentions may have been good, but his approach leaves much to be desired. Because of his rigid dogmatism, Bildad can only understand Job’s searching questions as blasphemy and can only exhort repentance. But Job has not denied God. Job isn’t perfect, but his questions reflect the honest doubts of a sincere believer. This encourages us that questions do not indicate a lack of faith, especially when those questions are directed to God. This also encourages us that repentance may not be the solution to every problem.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Job 9:1-24
Since I am already found guilty, why should I struggle in vain? - Job 9:29
TODAY IN THE WORD
The American institution of trial by jury is foundational to the governance of our country. The underlying premise of this system is, of course, that a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Although we rightly retain our confidence in this system, many people have recently voiced concern about the growing power of the “court of public opinion.” With increased media attention, some people claim that high-profile defendants have a harder time getting a fair trial.

Job would likely agree with these sentiments. He challenges his friends that they have already judged him to be guilty before hearing his “case.” Because they’ve already reached a verdict, they aren’t really listening to him.

Job’s third speech draws upon the image of a courtroom, where he feels judged by both God and his friends. He begins by readily acknowledging the justice of God, just as he has done all along. At this point, Job agrees with some of the assessments of his friends. Job is also well aware of the sovereign power of the Lord. His statements in verses 4–13 all affirm the mightiness of God the Creator. But the justice and power of God lead Job to despair for he knows that no one can resist the power of God unscathed (v. 4).

Clearly Job resents being on trial by his friends, but he is terrified to bring his defense before the Lord. He knows that he can’t even find adequate words for an argument with God (v. 14). God is even more powerful than Rahab, a mythical sea creature and an ancient symbol of uncontrollable natural and supernatural force. Even so, Job’s desperation drives him to spill out his accusations against the Lord (v. 13). It’s clearly wrong for Job to accuse the Lord of mocking the despair of the innocent (v. 23) and of being unfair (v. 24).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As we get to know Job’s friends, it’s easy to be put off by their insensitivity and dogmatism. But it’s always good to stop and ask ourselves if we are acting the same way. Are there people in our lives who are going through very difficult circumstances? Have we come to conclusions about why they have ended up where they are? Have we reached a verdict without giving them a fair trial? Like Job, most people want a chance to be heard and understood before they are convicted.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Job 11:1-20
Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart. - Ecclesiastes 5:2
TODAY IN THE WORD
The Austrian author Robert Musil once wrote, “Philosophers are people who do violence, but have no army at their disposal, and so subjugate the world by locking it into a system.” This may not be true of all philosophers, but in the case of Zophar, the final of Job’s friends to speak, it’s rather appropriate.

Zophar is the most critical in his approach. He tries to lock Job into the same system as his friends, namely that suffering comes from sin, so the solution must be repentance. We have now seen this three times: from Eliphaz (5:17), from Bildad (8:20), and from Zophar (11:14).

In the first part of his speech (vv. 2–6), Zophar dismisses Job’s words as idle chatter. He can’t hear Job’s anguished cries in the context of despair, but rather focuses only on Job’s bold outbursts and questions. He accuses Job of being self-righteous and mistakenly charges Job of claiming to be flawless and pure before God. Yet neither of these claims can be found in Job’s earlier speeches. Zophar prays that God would rebuke Job. At the end of Job, this is exactly what happens, but Zophar and his two companions are also roundly rebuked as well!

Zophar rightly claims that humans can’t presume to know God’s ways (vv. 7–12). But he also implies that humans shouldn’t even question God’s ways (v. 10). As we have noted earlier, Job has doubted and challenged God, but he has not mocked Him as Zophar claims. Additionally, Zophar harshly says that a witless (or ungodly) man could never have the wisdom to know God’s ways.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Much of what Zophar says is doctrinally correct, but he lacks compassion. He has heard Job’s words, but not his heart. Part of what may be motivating Job’s friends is their own fears: if suffering comes from sin, then maybe they can avoid suffering if they avoid sin. But Job’s situation is much deeper than that, and it defies pat answers.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Job 13:1-28; 14:13-17
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? - Psalm 22:1
TODAY IN THE WORD
Sometimes even well-intentioned Christians can hold simplistic views of God. For example, we might hear a sports star claim after an upset victory that he had prayed and knew that the Lord would give him victory. Now it’s entirely right to give God the glory, but the implication here is that God’s answer could only have been victory. What if defeat had been part of the divine plan?

This is an important point to ponder. Job’s friends were no doubt well-intentioned, but they had a rather simplistic theology. For them, it wasn’t possible both to be in God’s will and experience suffering. Consequently, they ended up being judgmental of those who suffered.

Today’s passage is actually the middle section of a long speech by Job. In the first part (Job 12), he replies to Zophar, in essence, saying, “Tell me something that I don’t already know!” Job knew that God’s wisdom was beyond comprehension. And he knew that repentance was the answer to sin. But he also knew that life was much more complicated than his friends were willing to admit. Their heartless response to his suffering provokes some rather sharp accusations (Job 13:4–12). If they were experiencing what he was, how would they fare?

Despite his friends’ claims, Job knows that he is not sinless (v. 23), but he doesn’t believe that his sin merits his suffering. Job realizes that a truly godless man would have no confidence to come before God (v. 16). Yet, though God may slay him, Job realizes that he has nowhere else to turn.

So again, Job comes before the Lord and asks for a fair hearing (vv. 20–28). These verses reveal how isolated Job feels from God. Whereas he once enjoyed fellowship, he now feels as if God has become his enemy.

In his current state, Job once again laments the frailty of his humanity. But for the first time, we find a glimmer of hope (Job 14:15–17). Job is beginning to envision a time when he will be restored to God. This is his first glimpse of the light at the end of the tunnel.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Like Job, many believers eventually encounter a sense that somehow God is not there or that He doesn’t care . Take some time today to reflect on part of a poem that Mary Kimbrough wrote, based on Job 13:15: “Though He slay me”--can I say it / When I feel the searing fire, / When my fondest dreams lie shattered -- / Gone my hope and fond desire? “Though He slay me, I will trust Him,” / For He knows just how to mold, / How to melt and shape my spirit -- / I shall then come forth as gold!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Job 15:1-35
When words are many, sin is not absent. - Proverbs 10:19
TODAY IN THE WORD
The January 1997 issue of Money magazine published the results of a survey in which people were asked whether the Panama Canal or the Suez Canal was longer, and how sure they were of their answer. Among those who were 60 percent certain, half got the answer right. But among those who were 90 percent sure, only 65 percent got the answer right. In this group, although people had a greater degree of confidence in their answer, fewer were actually correct.

The survey results could have helped Eliphaz, whose speech begins round two of the debate between Job and his friends. Eliphaz was probably 100 percent certain of his response to Job, but he was actually mistaken on some key points. You may recall from Eliphaz’s first speech (see Sept. 5) that the essence of religion was that people got what they deserved: suffering comes to sinners, and rewards come to the righteous.

Eliphaz’s second speech continues this theme. Even if Job were blameless at the outset of his suffering, his recent outbursts surely made him worthy of judgment now. Eliphaz has no way of reconciling Job’s “empty notions” and “hot east wind” with the conduct of a wise man.

Eliphaz believes that Job is dangerous because his questions seem to undermine the foundations of religion, as Eliphaz understands it. That’s Eliphaz’s point in verses 7–16. He charges Job of presuming to be wiser than the ancients or of claiming to have some special wisdom. In verse 14, Eliphaz attacks Job’s claim that his suffering is not the result of sin. In essence, he says, “No one is righteous.” We can readily agree with this statement, but we must reject Eliphaz’s simple equation that all suffering is the result of sin.

As Eliphaz continues (vv. 17–35), he notes that the ancients made clear the fate of the wicked. His speech may include specific references to Job’s situation, such as the loss of riches (v. 29) and vitality (v. 33). In general, however, his views represent the retribution theology common in the ancient world, and they are still found in some circles today.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Unfortunately, as Job increases his efforts to explain himself to his friends, they become less and less tolerant.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Job 16:18-17:16
We have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. - 1 John 2:1
TODAY IN THE WORD
In law, an advocate is a professional who pleads the cause of another in a court of law. In the American legal system, this is usually a lawyer. In the Bible, courtroom imagery is frequent. In the prophets, we often find God bringing charges against His sinful people, but here we find Job acting as his own advocate, pleading his case before the Lord.

Today’s passage contains part of Job’s fifth speech. In the opening section (16:1–17), Job expresses his exasperation with his friends. He questions what kind of comforters they really are (16:4–6). We also find another honest expression of Job’s anger with God when he falsely accuses the Lord of turning him over to wicked men (16:11).

In the first part of today’s passage (16:18–17:2), Job implores the earth to avenge his suffering. In the cosmic courtroom, Job recognizes that creation bears witness to human actions. More importantly, Job realizes that the only one who can defend his case is to be found in heaven. The Hebrew word that translates as witness (v. 19) refers to one who knows the innocence of the accused and who will see that justice is done.

There is considerable debate concerning the Hebrew text in verse 20, which could either refer positively to God or negatively to Job’s friends. Either way, we see Job’s confidence that he would ultimately find justice, if not in this life, then beyond it. Despite the fact that his friends misunderstand him (17:3–12), implicit in Job’s words is his understanding that God is the One to whom he must turn.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The exact identity of Job’s heavenly advocate is unclear to him. Job simply knows that there is One in heaven who will defend his case before God.

Although this individual may have been unclear to him, we can look back at Job and see a heart longing for Jesus Christ. Today’s verse from 1 John concisely states this aspect of Jesus’ identity: He is the one who pleads our case before the Father. Although we may be misunderstood on earth, there is One in heaven who knows us perfectly.