By Mike Peek

Dear Neighbor, This morning I read Job 3-4; Job lamented his life and wished that he was never born, and his friend Eliphaz reminds Job of the theology of that day, “the innocent do not suffer.” I confess that I have both felt as Job and thought as Eliphaz. My life is not what I thought that it would be an I am often in anguish and I have counseled others when not understanding their situation. I am in my 24th year as a Registered Nurse and have spent the majority of that time in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit. I have seen so much pain, suffering, anger, death and sorrow. All of this weighs me down and effects my continence and emotion. I am normally able to deal with this through the Lord and stepping away on my days off into my own household, but like Job, much has been taken away during the past two years. Do not misunderstand, I am not lamenting the day of my birth or wishing that I were dead, but I have a great deal of anguish and sorrow in my heart about the present; ther...

Job 3-4 Job did not charge the Lord with injustice or with evil but he did lament the day of his birth and wished that he had never been born. He thought, aren’t the dead better off than the living and are not all equal in death. The wicked no longer do harm in death and the suffering are at rest.  I confess that I have thought this way myself. I do not think that I have ever wished that I had never been born. However, nurses and especially ICU nurses see a great deal of suffering. I have seen suffering that haunts my very heart, mind and soul.  People also want to put to death criminals because in death they can no longer do any harm. Is it true that the dead no longer suffer and the wicked can no longer act wickedly? Is it true that the suffering are better off dead than living? The Christian hope is not death but the resurrection and eternal life in the kingdom of God.  Job’s friend Eliphaz begins to lay out a case that Job is suffering because he has done some kind of...

This morning I read Job chapters 1-2.  Job was a rich man with much integrity who worshiped the Lord God. Satan made accusations against God, that the reason that Job worshiped the Lord was because of the good things that the Lord does for him. Therefore, the Lord allowed calamity to befall Job’s possessions and children but did not allow Satan to harm Job. Four men came and reported Job’s losses. However, through all of this Job did not sin nor blame God.  Satan then returned to accuse, saying that the reason that Job holds his integrity is because he was not harmed. That a man will give anything for his life. The Lord gave it to Satan to harm Job but not take his life. Satan smote Job with boils that covered his body. Job sat on the ashes of what he once had and scraped his boils with a potsherd. Job’s wife came and said to him, “Curse God and die.” However, Job said, “Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” I have been thanking about this lately beca...

What does it say? After hearing the Lord speak Job said, “I am insignificant; what can I reply to you?” God wants to know if Job will really annul his judgment in order to justify himself because that would require Job’s condemnation of God. God says that he made Job and the Behemoth. The Behemoth as a very large and very strong creature. The Behemoth is the first of the ways of God. The sea creature Leviathan is so strong that no man can capture it and the Leviathan was made by God. God created everything and everything created belongs to God. There is no creature that the Leviathan fears. Job confesses that he did not really know God and spoke what he did not understand. Job is repentant towards God and attentive to hear the word of God. The Lord was displeased with the way Job’s friends spoke; therefore, the Lord commanded them to make sin offerings and piece offerings to God through Job. After Job’s intercession for his friends, the Lord restored all of the fortunes of Job two fold...

What does it say? God speaks to Job and asks, who is this who speaks without knowledge? God asks Job, have you ever commanded the morning. God speaks to Job about all the wonders of the earth and the sea and the heavens. God asks Job, do you understand these and do you have the power to command them? God asks Job, do you understand all of the creatures of the earth? The examples given are the mountain goat giving birth, the wild donkey foraging, the wild ox, the ostriches laying her eggs on the ground, the might of the horse, the soaring hawk, and the eagle who nests on cliffs. For each of these God asks Job, do you have the power to command them and do you see what these are doing all of the time?  What does it mean? It means that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-present and man is not. The theological terms for these three are: Omnipotence, Omniscience, and Omnipresence. Man is not omnipotent, we have power to do things but our power is limited. Man is not omniscient, we...

What does it say? Elihu reproved Jobs thinking, saying that God is so much higher than you. The Lord God is so high that you cannot comprehend him. The Lord God is so high that your sins cannot hurt him, nor can your righteousness help him. Elihu says that God is mighty, but does not despise any. God reproves some that they may repent, but the godless in heart lay up anger and do not repent. Men should exalt the work of God for he is a mighty teacher of men. Elihu describes the sovereignty of God over all that he has created. God causes the lightening, the thunder, the snow and the rain to fall. God is the back of every storm. The storm does whatever the Lord commands. God uses storms for both correction and lovingkindness. Men are not able to do the mighty things of God. The Lord God does not regard man who is wise at heart; therefore, men should fear him. What does it mean? We cannot hurt God nor can we help God. The Lord God does not need us to accomplish anything. The Lord is almig...

What does it say? Elihu in anger rebuked Job because he justified himself before God; also his three friends because they found no answer, yet they condemned Job. Elihu claims to speak for God. Elihu Vindicates God’s Justice.  What does it mean? Elihu kept quite until the three elder friends of Job rested their case. They condemned Job a sinner without answering his arguments. The Scripture says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom 3:23) I know that all men have sinned but I cannot judge someone without giving evidence. Elihu says that Job’s friends condemned him a sinner without law. It is as though Job was on trial. These three men condemned him without law. What would you think if you heard that a man was walking down the street in tattered clothing; the police arrested him and the judge sentences him to a prison? Wouldn’t you want to know his crime and the evidence that he broke the law? The law needs to be stated, and evidence for breaking that law m...

What does it say? Job’s past was glorious. When Job walked in the market place men stood before him and their mouths were hushed. However, Jobs present state is humiliating. Job is taunted by fools. Job calls out to God for help but he does not answer or come to his aide. Job asserts his integrity. Job believes that he should be judged righteously. Job believes that if he has done wrong he should be punished but asserts that he has lived righteously. Job speaks of the commandments while stating what he has done and what he has not done.  What does it mean? It is often the case that we honor our past and lament the present. Job’s past was glorious and his present state is humiliating; however, Job is not really humble because he boast in self-righteousness.  What should I do? I remember having a young wife who adored me and children who looked up to me. Our children have grown and no longer listen to my word; however, my wife remains at my side. We often remember the past toget...

What does it say? Job says that God seems to ignore wrongs. Bildad says that man is inferior. Job rebukes Bildad for his unkind words. Job speaks of the greatness of God. Job holds fast to his personal righteousness. Job says that God will crush the wicked. Job says that a man can find riches on the earth; however, wisdom and understanding are harder for a man to find, nor can he buy them with the riches of the earth. The fear of the Lord is wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding.  What does it mean? When we survey the earth it appears that God ignores wrongs. How can anyone deny this unless he his blind. There is a great deal of wickedness on the earth and many of the wicked live rich productive lives. Is God unjust? Job holds that God is just. The wicked seek after riches but wisdom is better than riches. All of Job’s riches were taken from him but Job has something worth far more than riches. Job has wisdom and understanding. Jesus said, “Do not fear those who kill the ...

What does it say? Job says that one man dies full of strength, being at ease, and satisfied; while another man dies with a bitter soul, never tasting good things in life. Eliphaz accuses Job of great wickedness and exhorts him to yield to God, listen to his word, and be restored. Job longs to speak with God and present his case before him, that he may be justified, yet Job knows that the Lord does what he desires; therefore, he is terrified of him. What does it mean? To this point in the dialogue, the friends of Job have implied that Job is wicked, but now Eliphaz outwardly accuses Job of wickedness. The only evidence that he has that job is wicked is that Job has been crushed by God. Eliphaz’s logic is based on a faulty premise. The premise being that God gives good things to the righteous man and bad things to the wicked. However, Job knows that this is not the way of things in this world. What a man receives in this world is not based on personal righteousness or unrighteousness. On...

What does it say? Job says that he has become a byword for the people and men spit at him as if he were dirt. Bildad believes that only the wicked man receives the bad things that Job has received. Job feels insulted that his friends believe that he has done wrong. Job says that everything and everyone is against him, will not his friends at least have pity for him. Job believes that God is just, therefore, he will redeem him and when he does his friends should be afraid of judgment. Zophar says that the triumph of the wicked is short for God gives the wicked bitterness.  What does it mean? In this present world justice is often not the case. A wicked man lives a rich productive life and a God fearing man has nothing to eat. Job believes that there is no justice on the earth but in the end God will be just. Bildad and Zophar believe in what is called retribution theology. What goes around comes around. So, who is correct? Bildad and Zophar are like ivory tower theologians. Their kn...

What does it say? Job says that life is short and death leaves a man unaware of anything happening on the earth. Eliphaz accuses Job of boasting with empty words. He says that Job’s wisdom is without understanding or knowledge. Eliphaz said that it is the corrupt and godless ones who have a difficult life, their end is destruction. Job calls his friends sorry comforters. If he was in their place he could choose to tear down as they are doing or he could choose to build up. Job says that he was at ease and God has shattered him and set him up as a target for ridicule. Job trust that in the end, God will be his advocate. Job desires to plead with God before the end of his days, as a man pleads with his neighbor.  What does it mean? Despite all that has happened to Job, even while understanding that God either caused or allowed him to suffer, he trusts that God will be his advocate and witness. Job is left without hope of anything on the earth. All of Job’s positions, servants and chi...

What does it say? Zophar rebukes Job that he should confess his sin to God for the Lord knows all. Job responds that God is sovereign over all. Job says that God builds up and tears down. The Lord is all powerful, so, everything occurs by his decree. The Lord makes men powerful and tears them down. Job says that his friends accusations him and their words about God are like dust or ashes that blow away. Job trust that he will be vindicated by God. Job believes that God counts him as his enemy but does not understand the reason.  What does it mean? We should not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. (Jn 7:24) Zophar judged Job according to appearance and used what he knows about God to rebuke Job. Zophar is correct to say that God sees all sin. There is nothing hidden from God, even our thoughts and desires are not hidden from the Lord. (Dan 2:22) Zophar understands this, but he does not know that Job’s loosing positions, loved ones, and physical sufferin...

What does it say? Bildad says that God rewards the good but punishes all who sin against him; therefore, Job and his sons must have sinned against God because the Lord would not reject a man of integrity. Job answers, there is no arbitrator between man and God. The Lord is all powerful; therefore, man cannot dispute against the Lord. Job believes that he is innocent but if God holds him guilty there is no disputing the Lord. Job does not understand why God has dealt this blow to his life. Job says that God knitted him together and granted him life and lovingkindness, so why did God bring him forth from his mothers womb. Was it to give him despair? What does it mean? Men often believe that things should be black and white. Bildad’s statement is true. Bildad believes that God rewards good behavior and punishes bad behavior. However, when I survey the earth I find many of the rich and famous acting very badly. I see the poor acting badly as well, so, it cannot be as black and what as Bild...

What does it say? Eliphaz continues his discourse saying that God is just; he believes that if Job would just turn to the Lord, confessing and forsaking his sin, the Lord will restore him. Job answers, saying, that his friends or no comfort, he has no pleasure in life, he desires death rather than what he has been given. Job upholds his righteousness, saying, “Show me were I have erred.” To Job, life seems futile. Man labors all of his days then dies. Job finds no comfort, if he lies down to sleep he is tormented with dreams. Job questions why would God be concerned about him. Job wants to know what he has done to offended God.  What does it mean? Job’s friend Eliphaz believes that God is just and he is correct in saying so but does not understand that Job’s suffering is not because Job has personally sinned. Eliphaz does not know that God allowed Satan to take Job’s wealth and health. It is easy for men to fall into despair when the world around us crumbles. What hope is there in ...

What does it say? Job was a wealthy man who feared God. Satan accused that Job honored God only because God made him wealthy. The Lord God gave Satan the power to strike all that Job had, so he took away all that Job owned, as well as his sons and daughters. Job did not curse God but worshiped the Lord. Satan accused that if Job’s life is touched he will curse the Lord. The Lord allowed Satan to give Job boils, yet when his wife told him to curse God he blessed the Lord. Job’s three friends Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar came to Job to sympathize and comfort him. These friends sat with him for a week. Job laments his life, stating that it would have been better if he had never been born. Eliphaz believes that the innocent do not suffer as Job has; therefore, implying that Job must have sinned against the Lord.  What does it mean? Having wealth and fearing God seem to go hand in hand. Are not the wealthy and healthy the blessed ones? Satan’s accusation is that Job fears God and turns aw...