[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (KD) as a reading update (reflection) from one chapter of the Bible a day]
𝕁𝕆𝔹 𝟚𝟝:𝟜
"How
then can a man be just with God? Or how can he be clean who is born of
woman?"
Well,
if somebody says this in our world, he would be canceled, put on trial by
social media, and asked to apologize. His effigy will be burnt. And perhaps
even his home will be ransacked. The feminist movement is very strong. This is
no longer a man's world. It's a technology world now.
In
the past, men were much stronger and society depended on men since there were
invaders and battles. Now, technology is more powerful than anyone. A woman
with better technology is superior to 100 men without technology. Assemble 100
UFC fighters (men) before anyone with an LMG or an AK-47 rifle. And they will
go down like a candle in the wind!
BTW,
Bildad was not talking about the superiority of men or the inferiority of women.
He was talking about the vanity and banality of man (humankind) before God.
𝕁𝕆𝔹 𝟚𝟞:𝟜
"To
whom have you uttered words? And whose spirit was expressed through you?"
An
interesting refutation from Job! His friends were critical instead of being
comforting. They misrepresented Job and misrepresented God, for which God will
demand repentance later on.
Here,
Job fired back. He could speak of God, and more accurately and soberly. He was
in no way inferior in theology, the doctrine of sin, and suffering. In fact, he
went on to put burning charcoal in their mouth by asking whose spirit they had,
definitely not of God! That's like saying "Are you sure you are not
possessed by an evil spirit?"
𝕁𝕆𝔹 𝟚𝟟:𝟝-𝟞
"Far
be it from me that I should declare you right; Till I die I will not put away
my integrity from me. "I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it
go. My heart does not reproach any of my days."
What
a righteous man Job was! He could say this because he was not a hypocrite. He
never had a double life. He never lived a secret life of shame. He never knew
of any sin in his life that deserved the suffering he was going through! That's
why, he was brave, resolute, and committed to worshiping God even when God
abandoned him to Satan. And this proved the genuine faith of Job. The reason
why we need to live a holy life is that we may have the strength to live when
evil days come.
Remember
the story of Elijah and the widow's son of 1King 17:18? When her son
died, she recalled her sins. Sins and Satan are the Grandmasters of
blackmailing, making us feel guilty. No matter who you are, sin will always
haunt you. Martin Luther wasn't spared. Apostle Paul recalled the stoning of
Stephen. The aged Peter even before his death, according to the tradition,
chose to be crucified upside down. The denial of Christ was still in his mind.
That's
the reason why we want to live a life of integrity, blamelessness, and
faithfulness. Though God has forgiven us, sin will haunt us someday. Job wasn't
troubled at all. He was confident even to debate God. Oh! To have a testimony
like that of Job. To look at suffering and say, "I am above this!"
𝕁𝕆𝔹 𝟚𝟠:𝟚𝟛
"God
understands its way, And He knows its place."
Job
does not look like a depressed man here. He doesn't look like he's in deep
suffering. He sounds so wise, calm, and spirited. And not because his
circumstance has changed, but because his contemplation about God's sovereignty
is comforting.
"God
understands" and "God knows" are the most comforting words when
we run out of all earthly solutions. And indeed, are true! I've heard countless
times my villagers lamenting about their plight of poverty and suffering
saying, “God knows!”
Suffering
really has positioned us better to understand the awesomeness of God! No wonder why James tells us to count it all
joy!
𝕁𝕆𝔹 𝟚𝟡:𝟙𝟜-𝟙𝟝
"I
put on righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe and a
turban. "I was eyes to the blind And feet to the lame."
Wow!
This chapter is hard to read because Job was so impeccable and I am not! What Job did, enjoyed, experienced, claimed, is
amazing. I haven't seen such a man yet, and probably will never be. Job is
perhaps the best of mankind, next to Jesus! Because God picked up Job to shame
the Devil. Later on, God sent Jesus to defeat the Devil! But, to be like Job,
to wear Righteousness and Justice as our clothing.
Footnote:
I have a desire to visit prisons!
𝕁𝕆𝔹 𝟛𝟘:𝟙
"But
now those younger than I mock me, Whose fathers I disdained to put with the
dogs of my flock."
Wow!
What a way to insult someone! 😆😂
A
knife can be used to cut an apple. It can be used to stab someone too! Likewise,
Bible can be used for our gain or doom. Satan used Scripture to turn away Jesus
from God's mission. Jesus used that same Scripture to honor God.
So,
what's it if I learn to insult today from this verse? 😂
𝕁𝕆𝔹 𝟛𝟙:𝟛𝟜
"Have
I covered my transgressions like Adam, By hiding my iniquity in my bosom."
Job
again defended his righteous lifestyle. He would not curse anyone but would
curse himself if he had not walked with integrity!
He
disdained the lifestyle of the first man Adam, though the 2nd Adam (Jesus) had
not been born, he surely imitated Him in faith!