Mention the name “Job” in a conversation among Christians and immediately two things will likely emerge – suffering and patience.
Mention the name “Job” in a conversation among Christians and immediately two things will likely emerge – suffering and patience.
This Lord’s Day, round two of the dialogues begin with Eliphaz offering his second speech. What we hear from him is harsh and reveals two things we must guard against – a destructive tongue that harms with words and a heart that is unteachable, set on its own ways and understanding. Both are warnings to heed if we want to be effective and compassionate brothers and sisters ministering to one another in love.
This Lord’s Day, Job moves in his response to Zophar to speaking to his God in the presence of all three friends – Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. In doing so, we are once again observing a close relationship between a believer and his God in the midst of extreme suffering and misery. We learn much about prayer, ourselves, humanity, life, and our God through Job’s transparency with God.
Do we really believe Job’s words in today’s scripture? The truth of our belief will not be in our profession, it will be in our reaction.
This Lord’s Day, Job responds to the last of his three friends, Zophar, but in the company of all. In his words, he exposes them for what they are – confused and comfortless, and begins a defensive of himself with his God. There is much insight to learn from his response with a chief one being the danger of self-deception revealed in his friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar.
This Lord’s Day, the third friend of Job speaks to him – Zophar. In his words, we find, like his other friends, insensitivity toward Job, but with the added cruelty of arrogance, additional accusations, and a self-confidence that reveals a heart of pride. We will learn more on how not to minister to hurting believers.