Devotion back log

January 28, 2011

The Stewardship of Wisdom
Elihu’s argument against Job is the same as Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar’s, except that he is more passionate. He deferred to his elders until they could not convince Job of his sin and then he was compelled to weigh in (Job 32:3-7). But Elihu espouses the same general truths (ignoring the obvious exceptions) and judgments as Job’s older friends (Job 34:30, 36). Interestingly, when God rebukes Job’s friends, Elihu gets a pass (Job 42:7-9). Although he sharply rebuked an older man (1Ti 1:5), I think God is more lenient on him because of his youth. The older men should have been wiser. Let not many of you become teachers because as such you incur a stricter judgment (Jam 3:1). Mercy triumphs over judgment (Jam 2:13).


January 29, 2011

With Friends Like These…
The premise of Elihu’s argument is that God is transcendent. He is unsearchable. Who are we to answer back to God? (Paul agrees. Rom 9:20) Ironically, in the midst of his argument says, “listen up, Job, I have not finished defending God.” (Job 36:2) He seems to be saying, “God is infinitely complicated, but I have Him figured out because I am a man of great knowledge.” (Job 36:4) He goes on to offer this simple formula: Suffering is a result of sin. Obedience brings prosperity. (Job 36:10-11) This is exactly what Job’s other friends had been saying! It is also exactly the wrong thing for a friend to say to someone who is suffering. Let God be the judge. He can defend Himself. Our role is to be compassionate listeners, encouragers, friends.

January 30, 2011

God appeals to the right and the left brained
God designed the universe with the precision of an engineer, but he presents it to Job with the skill of an artist. (Job 38, 39) His creation resonates with both the scientist and the dreamer. The whole and it’s parts testify to God’s glory. The natural world and the Law that sustains it reveal the Creator (Psa 19:1-7) With all this revelation we still have questions. We’re still “ignorant” (Job 38:2). It’s okay to wonder and to question with the right attitude, but when we begin to criticize the Lord He refers us back to creation and says, “enough said.” (Job 40:1-2)

January 31, 2011

Be humble or be humiliated
God cites two examples from nature that we cannot tame, Behemoth and Leviathan (Job 40:15, 41:1). Then He says, “If you can’t stand up to these animals, how can you stand up to me?” (Job 41:10-11). If we are subject to nature then we are subject to the God of nature. All God has to do to bring a civilization to its knees is shut off the rain. Not to mention earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes etc. What does God do with all this power? He humiliates the proud and imprisons them in the world of the dead. (Job 40:12-13). We, like Job, should choose to humbles ourselves rather than be humiliated.