Chapter 12 and 13

Job takes a stand now...

Like I said in the previous post, they speak like no one except them can understand the things of God. Job seems to think so too, for in verse 2 he says, "No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you." Go Job!

Verse 5 (This should be a poster somewhere): "In the thought of one who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune" --Maybe have a picture of a well dressed man turning his nose at a beggar. The book of James addresses this some.

Job then goes on to say that what has happened has come from the hand of God! Blasphemy, for this falls far short of Prosperity Theology, not to mention what is shoveled from most pulpits on a given Sunday morning. God is not a meanie! He wants me to have riches and happiness and so on...

How dare He go on to explain that God's sovereignty reigns over every aspect of every thing, and that God is in control of the good and the bad! (Okay, enough sarcasm, but it makes the point, I think)

In 13:4 Job tells his friends, "As for you, you whitewash with lies; worthless physicians are you all." (And people say that I am harsh!) Or verse 5, "Oh that you would keep silent, and it would be your wisdom." (Did he just tell them that the smartest thing they could do would be to shut up? Sounds like it!)

How about this one... (verse 9) "Will it be well with you when he searches you out?" (Is God gonna be happy with you when you meet him face to face? That is a powerful and gutsy question!)

But listen to Job's attitude toward God as expressed in verse 15: "Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face." (Bring it on God, you are still my only hope. But that doesn't mean I like it and won't let you hear about it!) I think God loves that attitude.

I see this attitude in the Apostle Peter. One moment, he is proclaiming Jesus to be the Messiah, the next he is telling the same Jesus that he doesn't know what he is doing (by saying that he must suffer and die). And there is Nicodemus, one moment saying that "We know you are a teacher from God," and the next moment arguing that he can't crawl back into his mother's womb to be born again. What patience Jesus exhibited with both men!

Job is going to speak his mind, and he is not going to let these men with their feeble theology whitewash his problems. Good for Job. We need more Jobs.