Job 10 Job continues his complaint today, giving it free utterance. (v. 1) For any who have been holding themselves back a bit, standing a little aloof, it’s time to admit how we can identify with Job. No, we probably cannot claim anything close to his righteousness, nor are any of us likely to have …
Author Archives: John S.
February 9 / Job 9
Job 9 Truly I know that it is so: But how can a man be in the right before God? If one wished to contend with Him, one could not answer Him once in a thousand times. He is wise in heart and mighty in strength—who has hardened himself against Him, and succeeded? Job 9:2-4 …
February 8 / Job 8
Job 8 Today we hear, for the first time, from another of Job’s friends, Bildad the Shuhite. Bildad immediately tells Job that his words are “wind” (aka “hot air”) and asks a couple rhetorical questions to which the answer is an obvious, “No”: Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert the right? (v. …
February 7 / Job 7
Job 7 Today Job continues his response to Eliphaz. He reiterates some of his agony (Job 7:1-5), his despair (Job 7:6), and his full expectation that his suffering will continue until death (Job 7:7). He expects that while his friends watch, he will die. (Job 7:7-10) Job’s despair and expectation of death embolden his complaint. …
February 6 / Job 6
Job 6 Job first opened the conversation in Job 3, but today is the first time Job responds to one of his friends. Does he heed Eliphaz’s advice, turn from his wicked ways and commit himself to God in order to secure all those blessings Eliphaz pointed him to in Job 5:8-27? Not exactly. Knowing …
February 5 / Job 5
Job 5 Eliphaz continues speaking today. Job 5:1-7 sounds very bleak, offering little hope whatsoever. Call now; is there anyone who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn? (v. 1) In other words, “Don’t bother looking for any help. Nobody is coming.” And then in vv. 6-7: For affliction does …
February 4 / Job 4
Job 4 Today we meet the first of Job’s friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, who wastes little time on niceties or saying anything to cheer or comfort Job. Instead, he chides Job as being impatient (even though we now speak of “the patience of Job”). He recognizes that Job has previously instructed and advised others (from …
February 3 / Job 3
Job 3 Today we get the first inkling of the depths of Job’s misery, and the first verse reveals his sentiment: Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. He feels it would have been better to die unborn than to live in this evil existence. Down through the ages millions have …
February 2 / Job 2
Job 2 Fred has sporadic internet service while traveling so you are stuck with me for a few days. Unfortunately, my morning routine is not as consistent as Fred’s, so I offer no guarantees with regard to getting posts out before noon on any given day… Today we get the rest of the “back story” …
Introduction to Job
Today we’re shifting gears and turning from the Psalms to the Book of Job for a while. In today’s reading we get the “back story”, the context that explains what is really going on. But Job — and his friends who show up shortly — are unaware of what is going on “behind the scenes” …