Thoughts from my personal time with God.
[The Lord]
Who waters the dry and thirsty land,
so that grass springs up?
No water, no life.
Do you know the laws that govern the skies,
and can you make them apply to the earth?
Revelation!
…The ostrich… when she begins to run,
she can laugh at any horse and rider.Was it you, Job, who made horses so strong
and gave them their flowing manes?
[The Lord]
Then out of the storm the Lord spoke to Job.
This is truly unique in human history. I believe that you are speaking once and for all to all those who would put themselves in the place of God / criticize what he does (Job 34:33; Romans 9:21-22).
…Who are you to question my wisdom
with your ignorant, empty words?
[Elihu]
If you sin, that does no harm to God.
If you do wrong many times, does that affect him?
Do you help God by being so righteous?
There is nothing God needs from you.
Others suffer from your sins,
and the good you do helps them.
So true.
……kings…
God shows them their sins and their pride.
He makes them listen to his warning
to turn away from evil.
[Elihu]
…(Elihu was the son of Barakel, a descendant of Buz, and belonged to the clan of Ram.) He was also angry with Job’s three friends. They could not find any way to answer Job, and this made it appear that God was in the wrong. Because Elihu was the youngest one there, he had waited until everyone finished speaking.
[Job 3b1 – continued]
If only my life could once again
be as it was when God watched over me.
God was always with me then
and gave me light as I walked through the darkness.
Those were the days when I was prosperous,
and the friendship of God protected my home.
Almighty God was with me then…
Nostalgia. In years past, my life had such potential; now, I find myself old and used up.…
[Job 3b1]
Who do you think will hear all your words?
Who inspired you to speak like this?
Job is chiding Bildad for the weakness of his response. 😊
God stretched out the northern sky
and hung the earth in empty space.
Revelation!
…It is his strength that conquered the sea;
by his skill he destroyed the monster Rahab.
It is his breath that made the sky clear,
and his hand that killed the escaping monster.
[Elifaz 3]
…It is not because you stand in awe of God
that he reprimands you and brings you to trial.
No, it’s because you have sinned so much;
it’s because of all the evil you do.
To make a brother repay you the money he owed,
you took away his clothes and left him nothing to wear.
You refused water to those who were tired,
and refused to feed those who were hungry.
[Sofar 2]
…The wicked… will have no chance to enjoy their wealth,
because they oppressed and neglected the poor
and seized houses someone else had built…Everything they have saved is destroyed;
a fire not lit by human hands
burns them and all their family.
Heaven reveals their sin,
and the earth gives testimony against them.
All their wealth will be destroyed
in the flood of God’s anger.
[Bildad 2]
The light of the wicked will still be put out;
its flame will never burn again.
Bildad is picking up the same theme said in a different way. It’s almost as if by repeating something loud enough and often enough that it becomes reality…
They have no descendants, no survivors.
The importance of having descendants, rooted in the ancient notion that the parents continue to live on through their children.…
[Job 2a1 – continued]
I want someone to plead with God for me,
as one pleads for a friend.
Thank you, Jesus (Hebrews 4:14-16; 7:25).
Those who claim to be honest are shocked,
and they all condemn me as godless.
Those who claim to be respectable
are more and more convinced they are right.
I have lived this to a lesser extent.…