Good morning, my friends!
The next few days will be jam-packed at church, so I need to finish up Job this morning.
Here are my thoughts.
Thanks for joining me for the journey. Let's do this again soon.
Much love,
Pr. Em
Chapter 36 -
It does seem Elihu's heart is in a better place. But he, too, shares some troubling theology from my perspective. He says that the righteous prosper and the wicked don't. In life - it doesn't seem so simple. Aren't we all wicked? And righteous? Sinner and saint? I like verse 26: "How great is God - beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out." :)
Chapter 37 -
Ha ha! In light of all our recent snow, verse 6 is a hoot. "He says to the snow, Fall on the earth,' and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour." Elihu sees everything that happens in creation and in the atmosphere as the work of God, and he is trying to impress that upon Job.
Chapter 38 -
God speaks! I've been looking forward to these chapters, and had been saving them for the very end instead of reading ahead. I was a little surprised in reading them. God definitely takes a direct approach with Job! He says, "Have you ____? Have you ever _____? How about ____? Speak up if you were there!" He seems to be saying, "Job, I'm the one who understands. You don't know the whole picture." How did you feel reading this chapter?
Chapter 39 -
God continues. This chapter is about many different animals. God seems to say, "Job, I understand all of them because I created al of them. Did you? I didn't think so. Job, there is much you do not understand."
Chapter 40 and 41-
Job answers God at the very beginning of chapter 40 and then God talks again. Job's response surprised me! "I am unworthy - how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth." And then God shares more....especially highlighting two giant, mysterious animals - the behemoth and the leviathan.
Chapter 42 -
The final chapter! Wow! This is it! Job responds to God. Interestingly, Job's conclusion is - "Sure I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know....I had heard of you but now my eyes of seen you." Initially, I thought, "WHAT?!?! Job! You had legitimate concerns. Don't back down now! God didn't even address your undeserved suffering!" But then I thought, "Well, Job had a face to face encounter with God and it totally transformed his understanding. He gained understanding he didn't have before. Who can argue with that? Not me!"
Then, in the Epilogue, God basically says to Job's first three friends, "Guys, you need to apologize to me and to Job. You were not very good friends." And the rest of Job's life is apparently blessed and wonderful.
My Concluding Thoughts -
Hmmmm. At some point, I need to take time to process all this.
Job is a very fascinating book of the Bible. I'm not exactly sure what I'm "taking away" yet.
Life is complicated and there is MUCH we do not understand but God does understand- I guess that's something Job taught me.
How about you? What have you learned on the journey?
Chapter 36 -Verse 4 Is Elihue saying that he is "perfect in knowlege" like God? Verse 11 again we hear that if you do good then you will have an easy life. That just doesn't seem to be the way life works. Verse 21 I like. My interpetation is that we shouldn't turn away from God when bad things happen. The word "iniquity" shows up several times. Webster defines it as gross injustice, wickedness, sin. The last verse says God is angered by iniquity. Elihue tells Job about God's power, goodness, and majesty.
ReplyDeleteSaturday, Sorry I have gotten behind.
ReplyDeleteChapter 37:Snow and Ice? I thought the climate in Isreal was desert warm?? Yes Elihue credits God with everything that happens in nature. I liked verse 23. "The Almighty....he is great in power and justice, and abundant rightousness he will not violate."
Chapter 38: God is telling Job in question form that God is in charge, and Job doesn't really have the knowledge that he thinks he does.
Chapter 39: Again God has knowledge because he created all of these creatures.
Chapter 40: Here Job says, "I give God, you are Great and I am small.", but God says not so fast Job. Verse 7 "Gird up your loins like a man." I deserve an answer. Verse 15, my Bible says Behemoth is a hippopotamus.
Chapter 41: Here Leviathan is thought to be a crocidile. And then it turns into a fire breathing dragon?? I guess God is saying "I created some powerful creatures."
Chapter 42: I sort of feel like, "That's it?" There must be more to the story... As Emily says, yes Job did see God and it transformed him. We can't know what that was like. His fortunes were restored because he was faithful to God. Where are the servants?
Thoughts: I am still bothered by the concept that rightous are blessed and wicked are punished. That just isn't the way I see it in the world. I think that my Grandmother would say, "They will get theirs in the end." But when calamity strikes the message is still that we need to hold fast to our faith and our God and he will see us through it.