Today in God's Word—June 2023
East Tallassee Church of Christ
June 16, Job 21
”How then will you comfort me with empty nothings? There is nothing left of your answers but falsehood." Job 21:34
One of the real joys of living in a small town is that you can count on seeing someone you know when you go to the grocery store. Among the employees or the customers, someone will be there who knows you and is ready to have a conversation. Sure, it does take longer to get in and out of the store. But those relationships add richness to your life, and I am glad to talk to anyone who is glad to see me and has something to tell me. Let's just talk before I pick up the refrigerated and frozen items, ok?
I saw a friend over in the produce section the other day. We talked about how she was doing after the death of a loved one. She told me it was still very hard. I assured her that it might not be "better," but it would be "different" over time. She said she hoped so, and added, "I'm not Job." What did she mean by that? I think we both know, don't you? She meant that it was hard for her to be patient.
Job's name has become synonymous with patience. We associate Moses' name with meekness, Abraham's with faithfulness and Solomon's with wisdom. Job's name has been associated with patience since Bible times. In his New Testament epistle, James wrote, ”You have heard of the patience of Job." The ESV has "the steadfastness of Job" in that verse. Job was patient as he endured intense suffering, and patient as he waited on God to vindicate him. But Job’s patience had worn thin with the men who came as his friends, but turned out to be instruments of Satan to torture Job with accusations and threats. Earlier in their exchange, Job talked a lot about his misery and begged them for some comforting words. He was frustrated because he did not know what he had done for God to punish him and heap such trouble on him.
But after Zophar's speech, Job changed his tone and content. He did not offer any prayer to God in this speech. He did not lament his agonies in a soliloquy. Instead, he set out to expose the falsehood and baselessness of his accusers’ words. He was tired of their faulty logic based on a false premise and their unjust conclusion. So he attacked their arguments about the wicked being the ones who suffered in this life, while the faithful were blessed.
Long before there was a Bible, Job knew that not all wicked people suffer in this life, or that all the punishment comes in this life. The fact that we fallen humans have the freedom and power of choice means that we will choose to do wrong and suffer the consequences. The sin causes some suffering, to be sure. But it's not true that the sins and the consequences are related on a one to one basis. From a human perspective, there are undeniable and unavoidable random events that cause people to suffer. Job knew that judgment follows this life. Job sensed that eternity was where the rewards and punishments would be finally handed out to the righteous and the wicked. In the New Testament, Paul said, “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied." People who do the will of God are not guaranteed immunity from the difficulty and suffering that mark life in this world. But they have the hope and assurance from God's word that far more and better than anything they have endured in this life awaits them in eternity. Though Job didn't understand why he had been so afflicted, he never quit trusting God.
Job told his friends to look at him and be appalled, and to put their hands over their mouths. What they were saying did not fit Job and his situation. He pointed out that some people are wicked and live longer. Not all the wicked are cut down in youth as they suggested. They all knew examples of wicked people who lived long and prospered. Job told them the idea that children suffered for their parents' sins actually disproved their case,
because that would amount to innocent ones suffering for the guilty. The ungodly dead who did not suffer in this life "got away with it."
In truth, death comes to all people — the rich, the poor, the comfortable and the miserable. They knew of wicked rulers who died and were honored in death. It did not seem that God punished them, and those around them dared not accuse them of wrongdoing.
Job told his friends their words were empty because they were based on a false premise. Job didn't understand, but he knew better than to accept their reasoning and hateful accusations. But he kept trusting God. That required a great deal of patience and confidence in the Lord. That's the lesson you and I should take away when we read about the patience of Job.
Copyright © 2023 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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