January 12, 2011
Eliphaz continues. Again, much of what he says would be true if Job was being disciplined by God and reaping what he had sown. But Job wasn't being disciplined for his actions. Job was being tested (pruned) because of his uprightness, not because of sin. Pruning—verses—discipline.
Pruning and Testing: God allows things and events in our lives to grow us and increase our witness. As a result, God gets the glory and good comes from it.
Discipline: Man reaping what he has sown. God holding him accountable for his actions and the sin in their lives. Unfortunately, many people have an incredible ability for self-denial and they choose to believe that they are being pruned and refuse to believe they are being disciplined and therefore accountable for their actions.
In Job's case his friends all assumed he was being disciplined, but he wasn't. If he was being disciplined their assertions would have been correct.
Job 17:3-4 - "God, make me a promise... you have closed their minds to understanding. Do not let them win over me." The NIV says, "... therefore you will not let them triumph."
Job 17:5 - "A person might speak against his friends for money, but if he does, the eyes of his children go blind." Blind—to truth. Blind—to salvation. Blind.
Job 17:8 - "Honest people are upset about this; innocent people are upset with those who do wrong. But those who do right will continue to do right, and those whose hands are not dirty with sin will grow stronger." NIV - "Nevertheless, the righteous will hold to their ways, and those with clean hands will grow stronger."
Addendum: 12/28/14 ~ There is no such thing as a little sin. Sin by its very nature progresses until it takes over.
Job 16:34-35 - "People without God can produce nothing. Fire will destroy the tents of those who take money to do evil, who plan trouble and give birth to evil, whose hearts plan ways to trick others." Those verses remind me of both Psalm 140 and Psalm 7:14-16. "There are people who think up evil and plan trouble and tell lies. They dig a hole to trap others but they will fall into it themselves. They will get themselves into trouble; the violence they cause will hurt only themselves." The NIV says it this way - "He who is pregnant with evil and conceives trouble gives birth to disillusionment." Psalm 140 - "Rescue me O Lord from evil men, Protect me from men of violence who devise evil plans in their hearts and stir up war every day... let the heads of those who surround me be covered with the trouble their lips have caused... I KNOW the Lord secures justice..."
Our faith is in the LORD and HIM alone. We believe HIS words. We trust in HIS promises. Job 17:8 - "Nevertheless, the righteous will hold to their ways, and those with clean hands will grow stronger."
Next Entry: Job 18:1 – 19:29
Eliphaz continues. Again, much of what he says would be true if Job was being disciplined by God and reaping what he had sown. But Job wasn't being disciplined for his actions. Job was being tested (pruned) because of his uprightness, not because of sin. Pruning—verses—discipline.
Pruning and Testing: God allows things and events in our lives to grow us and increase our witness. As a result, God gets the glory and good comes from it.
Discipline: Man reaping what he has sown. God holding him accountable for his actions and the sin in their lives. Unfortunately, many people have an incredible ability for self-denial and they choose to believe that they are being pruned and refuse to believe they are being disciplined and therefore accountable for their actions.
In Job's case his friends all assumed he was being disciplined, but he wasn't. If he was being disciplined their assertions would have been correct.
- You can't shake your fist at God and not be held accountable.
- The riches the wicked have will not last.
- The wicked should not fool themselves by trusting in what is useless. (Their god is in their pocket.)
- People who take money to do evil, who plan trouble and give birth to evil, who plan ways to trick others in their heart (Psalm 140), will not produce anything and their tents and things will be destroyed.
Job 17:3-4 - "God, make me a promise... you have closed their minds to understanding. Do not let them win over me." The NIV says, "... therefore you will not let them triumph."
Job 17:5 - "A person might speak against his friends for money, but if he does, the eyes of his children go blind." Blind—to truth. Blind—to salvation. Blind.
Job 17:8 - "Honest people are upset about this; innocent people are upset with those who do wrong. But those who do right will continue to do right, and those whose hands are not dirty with sin will grow stronger." NIV - "Nevertheless, the righteous will hold to their ways, and those with clean hands will grow stronger."
Addendum: 12/28/14 ~ There is no such thing as a little sin. Sin by its very nature progresses until it takes over.
Job 16:34-35 - "People without God can produce nothing. Fire will destroy the tents of those who take money to do evil, who plan trouble and give birth to evil, whose hearts plan ways to trick others." Those verses remind me of both Psalm 140 and Psalm 7:14-16. "There are people who think up evil and plan trouble and tell lies. They dig a hole to trap others but they will fall into it themselves. They will get themselves into trouble; the violence they cause will hurt only themselves." The NIV says it this way - "He who is pregnant with evil and conceives trouble gives birth to disillusionment." Psalm 140 - "Rescue me O Lord from evil men, Protect me from men of violence who devise evil plans in their hearts and stir up war every day... let the heads of those who surround me be covered with the trouble their lips have caused... I KNOW the Lord secures justice..."
Our faith is in the LORD and HIM alone. We believe HIS words. We trust in HIS promises. Job 17:8 - "Nevertheless, the righteous will hold to their ways, and those with clean hands will grow stronger."
Next Entry: Job 18:1 – 19:29
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