FBC Morning Light – August 12, 2023

Good Saturday morning, people of faith. We're in Job chapter 5 this morning. And just by way of review, let's talk a little bit about Job, just in case it's not fresh on your mind what a pastor has talked about on Thursday and Friday this week.

Job’s Suffering and Eliphaz’s Accusation

Job, as you know, lost many things. He had seven sons and three daughters whom he lost, all kinds of cattle and things like this that he lost, and then he lost his health as well. His wife tells him to curse God and die.

A lot of bad things have happened to Job in the first several chapters here, and three friends show up. And in chapter 5, one of those friends, Eliphaz, is talking to him, and in a very accusatory nature.

He's accused him of sin, already in chapter 4, and just listen to how this sounds. This is Eliphaz, and he says, Call out now, is there anyone who will answer you? And to which of the holy ones will you turn?

For wrath kills a foolish man, and envy slays a simple one. I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his dwelling place. His sons are far from safety, they are crushed in the gate, and there is no deliverer.

And there's this tone in these words here of Job, you've obviously done something wrong here, why don't you just admit it? Well, we know from chapter 1 that Job didn't do anything wrong. Back in chapter 1, the very last verse, after all the calamity that had happened to him, it says this about Job, it says in all this, Job did not sin, nor charge God with wrong.

I think for myself, I would have a difficult time not at least questioning, God, why? Why did you take my sons and daughters from me? Why did you cause me to lose my property and then lose my health? But Job didn't do those things here, right?

The Difference Between a True Principle and a False Reversal

And so what's going on with Eliphaz here? And Eliphaz is taking a truth and turning it around to where it's not necessarily true. And let me explain. If I were to say to you, if I jump in the rock river, then I will get wet.

And as long as the rock river has water in it, and I jump in, I'm going to get wet.

Correct?

Yes.

Okay.

Eliphaz is turning this thing around, and if I said to you, if I am wet, then I jumped in the rock river. That's a false statement because there's a lot of ways to get wet without jumping in the rock river.

You could have had a water balloon fight like we had back during the vacation Bible time. You could have taken a shower. You could have taken a bath. Someone could have sprayed you with a hose. You could have gone swimming at the Dewis Center.

There's a lot of things you could do to get wet without jumping in the rock river. So Eliphaz is taking the following principle. He's saying, if you do evil, then bad things will tend to happen to you.

And in general, that's true. In general, that's true. We may see unrighteous people for a time that thrive and survive, but in the end, their judgment is certain. And in general, those who do wrong do not receive blessing even in this life.

But you can't turn that around. You can't turn it around and put it backwards. If bad things happen to you, that does not mean that you have done something wrong. The Lord can chasten, and the Lord can provide punishment for wrongdoing, or he can do things just because he's God and meant to show, in this case, the life of Job for thousands of years now, and how to respond to the wrong that's being done and the accusations of so-called.

Friends.

Applying God’s Word Carefully

So we need to be careful for us that we don't take principles like this one that says, if you do evil, then bad things will happen to you. That's generally a true statement, and turn it around and say, for everyone that has had bad things happen to them, they are doing evil.

That's not a true statement. It is not a true statement, and we need to be careful in how we apply God's Word in this respect. Well let's think on these things throughout this Saturday, and let's pray.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your Word. Thank you for the example of Job. May we have the perspective that he had, and Lord, please not to have the trials that he had, but help us to walk with you faithfully, seeing your hand in every moment and every action of our lives.

Help us to submit to your will and not plan our own will for ourselves. It's in your Son's name, Jesus we pray, amen. Have an excellent day, people of faith.