Good Counsel Almost

Read Job 4-7
 
Job 5:8-11 “If I were you, I would go to God and present my case to him. 9 He does great things too marvelous to understand. He performs countless miracles. 10 He gives rain for the earth and water for the fields. 11 He gives prosperity to the poor and protects those who suffer.”
 
ONE of Job’s friends named Eliphaz came with two others – Bildad and Zophar – to comfort Job. It is a most remarkable thing to read the four men sat in silence for seven days before anyone spoke. There is a deep sense of grief, honor and respect for Job. When the seven days ended, Job spoke.
   Job 3 records the righteous man regretted his life. Job 3:11a “Why wasn’t I born dead?…13 Had I died at birth, I would now be at peace. I would be asleep and at rest. 14 I would rest with the world’s kings and prime ministers, whose great buildings now lie in ruins.” This is rejecting God’s decision to birth him. He was telling the LORD he worshiped, “You’ve made a mistake.” In his despair, the upright Job begins to falter. These are dangerous thoughts. When we view our lives as regrettable, with no purpose, our desire to live diminishes and even disappears. We must put aside such thoughts and consider the privilege of life. This is the only way to know God and understand his will for our lives.
   Then Eliphaz was the first of Job’s three friends to speak. After praising Job for the good things he has given to people, Eliphaz revealed a typical view of suffering: Job 4:8 My experience shows that those who plant trouble and cultivate evil will harvest the same. In other words Eliphaz is saying, “Job, you’ve been a good man. But you suffer because you’ve sinned.”
   Yes, Bildad’s counsel in the verses above seem very good. “Go to God and present your case to him. He does great things too marvelous to understand. He performs countless miracles.” Eliphaz reminded Job of God’s sovereign power. He encouraged Job to be confident God would forgive his sins.
   This sin issue is the great conflict in Job’s story. His three friends are sure he has sinned. Job is sure he has not. The three have an obvious solution to the suffering. Job doesn’t know what to do in his presumed innocence.
   All four have much to learn of suffering and of God. And so do we. That’s why we must be willing to approach God with a reverent heart. When we worship God in all circumstances, submitting to his authority on our life, then we are to understand how he protects those who suffer.

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