Job 21 - Day 1026 (link to reading)
Scripture: Job 21:4-11 Commentary (enduringword.com): Job challenged the moral order of the universe as previously understood by his friends. He challenged them to see that if it was possible for a wicked man to be seemingly blessed, then perhaps also a righteous man like Job could seem to be cursed. Zophar said that the wicked die prematurely (Job 20:4-11); Job insisted that instead, the wicked live and become old. “Of some creatures we used to say, that they have nine lives; of some wicked men it may be thought so, they do evil a hundred times, and yet their days are prolonged. Manasseh reigned longest of any king in Judah. Pope John XXII (that monster and mortalist) lived longest of any pope, and died richest. God gives wealth, health, and long life to many wicked.” (Trapp) Application: Sometimes we may notice things that don't seem to make sense in the world around us. However, it's important to remember that we may not necessarily deserve everything we have. Personally, I feel grateful for all the blessings in my life and I try to avoid judging others by practicing kindness and gratitude. Prayer: Lord have mercy... Job 20 - Day 1025 (link to reading)
Scripture: Job 20:1-5 Commentary (thewarehouse.blog): The cruel misjudgment of man stems from an ignorant and arrogant attitude. I’ve written this many times over in this series on Job, but it remains true – his friends understood truth, but misunderstood their application of it. I would argue that of all his friends, Zophar misunderstood Job the most. He really has no foundation for grace. To his credit, the grace of Jesus is offensive and foreign to our natural selves. It makes absolutely no sense. Zophar believes that the wicked will always be punished by God because He is righteous. He also believes the righteous will always be rewarded by God. Zophar has effectively taken the “mystery” out of God in an attempt to explain something he doesn’t know. Have you ever met anyone like this? Application: It's impossible to know everything about a person unless they choose to share it with us. Instead of being critical, let's offer them empathy and kindness, just as we would hope to receive in their situation. Prayer: Lord have mercy... Job 19 - Day 1024 (link to reading)
Scripture: Job 19:25-29 Commentary (enduringword.com): The word translated Redeemer is goel, presenting one of the wonderful concepts of the Old Testament. “The ‘Goel’ stood for another to defend his cause, to avenge wrongs done to him, and so to acquit him of all charges laid against him.” ...“When Job, amid the desolation, declared that he had a ‘Goel’ living and active, he was uttering a profound truth, the truth that in God, man has a Redeemer in all the fullest senses of that great word. It was a spiritual apprehension of an abiding fact, which fact came into clear shining when God was manifest in flesh.” (Morgan) “The meaning of the word goel (‘redeemer’) is fundamental to understanding this passage. The word is important in Old Testament jurisprudence. It had both a criminal and a civil aspect. As ‘blood avenger,’ a goel had a responsibility to avenge the blood of a slain kinsman (Numbers 35:12-28). He was not seeking revenge but justice. On the civil side he was a redeemer or vindicator. Here he had the responsibility to ‘buy back’ and so redeem the lost inheritance of a deceased relative… As such he was the defender or champion of the oppressed.” (Smick) Application: Jesus is our Redeemer who has bought back our freedom with his life and blood that was shed on the cross. Thanks to his sacrifice, we live, but more significantly, we have hope for eternal life. Prayer: Lord Jesus, have mercy on me a sinner... Job 18 - Day 1023 (link to reading)
Scripture: Job 18 Commentary (thewarehouse.blog): The dating of this time period would have meant that Job and his friends were highly influenced by mythopoetic language. In Ugaritic mythology, death was thought to be ruled by the god Mot who was known as the ‘King of Terrors.’ Ironically, this teaching held that Mot’s firstborn was a demon who brought complete destruction and turmoil to people in order to satisfy the appetite of Sheol (Hades). It was believed the demon attacked the body, making the person physically ill before taking them for good. Even though Bildad is off in his application, he vividly portrays an accurate picture of death. No matter how you slice it, death is an overwhelming and sobering beast. Bildad illustrates that the fate of Job will only get worse as he continues down this path. Again, it’s an accurate statement, but a terrible application. Application: It's natural to be afraid of the unknown. Since Jesus was resurrected from the grave and lived to tell about it, we can trust him and be less afraid. Prayer: Lord Jesus have mercy... Job 17 - Day 1022 (link to reading)
Scripture: Job 17:9 Commentary (thewarehouse.blog): There’s a saying, “That which doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” I’ve always appreciated this statement as it resounds with such truth when it comes to disasters in our lives. But we also have to embrace where we are so we can move forward and come out the other side stronger than before. Job declares here victory will be found for the righteous. He has a flash of hope and faith in the middle of his situation. It’s a flash he will cling to and help him make it through to the end. For what he’s speaking toward is that of endurance. Holding fast to his inner convictions will help him find his way even when what is happening does not make sense at all. As his situation did not change over night, he recognizes his strength will come not through the situation necessarily changing but God making him stronger through it – moment by moment. Application: While we walk through "the valley of the shadow of death", God is with us so we do not have to be afraid. The reality is that life can be hard but as Job declared, “The righteous will hold to his way and he who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.” We just need to hold on to the Righteous One. Prayer: Lord have mercy... |
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January 2024
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