If I am wicked, woe to me! But if I am righteous, I dare not lift up my head. Job 10:15a NASB Dare not – Doesn’t Job teach us that it’s better not to be too religious? After all, if Job were just an ordinary person like us, God would not have pointed him out. He wouldn’t have gone through…
For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, more than once—and yet Satan hindered us. 1 Thessalonians 2:18 NASB Satan – What was the first century Jewish view of “Satan”? Why does Paul refer to Satan when he writes to the Thessalonians? Where did the idea come from? For most contemporary believers, Satan is as real as it gets. …
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. Job 1:1 NASB Blameless – We started our investigation of the story of Job with a commentary on the three critical terms used to describe Job’s spiritual state. Do you remember? As we begin…
Who will bring charges against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; Romans 8:33 NASB Justifies – Paul pens the Greek verb dikaióō, “to justify.” We often find the term in religious circles. But what does it really mean? How can “justify” help us resolve Job’s situation? The Concept of Law in the OT. This concept…
Who will bring charges against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; Romans 8:33 NASB Bring charges – The lessons from the first ten chapters of Job are discomforting. Maybe even despairing. If the perfect man suffers for unknown (to him) reasons, if God plays chess with His creation, if the heavens are silent, if the…
I am full of shame, and conscious of my misery. Job 10:15b NASB Shame – You might think that the Hebrew word here is the common word translated “shame,” i.e., bôš. That word is found in verses like Psalm 25:2 (“Let me not be ashamed”). Its primary meaning is public humiliation. “to fall into disgrace, normally through…
I am full of shame, and conscious of my misery. Job 10:15b NASB Conscious – There are a few universal languages. Mathematics is one. Any person regardless of ethnicity or native tongue can understand the mathematical language of numbers and relationships. This is, however, a created language. Artificial but incredibly useful. Is there an uncreated, natural language…
For He is not a man, as I am, that I may answer Him—that we may go to court together! Job 9:32 NASB Not a man – Are you willing to complain to God? Careful. Your answer might be a subtle rebellion. As Job clearly reminds us, God isn’t a man. In fact, the Hebrew phrase ki-lo-ish is first…
Why then do You not forgive my wrongdoing and take away my guilt? For now I will lie down in the dust; and You will search for me, but I will no longer exist.” Job 7:21 NASB Forgive my wrongdoing – Job stands in our place. He may not know why God seems to be punishing him, but if God is,…
“. . . The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised on the third day.” Luke 9:22 NASB Must suffer – We investigated the upside-down logic of God’s actions in Job’s inquiry. Sinners are forgiven; the righteous are…
