ESV Chronological Plan, Day 28 | Job 38-39

LOOK | WHAT DOES IT SAY?

Read Job 38:1-39:30

THINK | WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

(A) Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Some think that God is addressing Elihu here in 38:2, but it is clear by verse 3 that God is talking to Job. God will eventually confuse many of us by calling Job his "servant" who has "spoken of me what is right" in 42:8 (more on that tomorrow), but here the story is different. God has arrived to confront Job. The following speech -quoted from, of course, Christopher Ash- is broken down into 17 sections. God doesn't just list all the things that he knows or has done, but he is showing Job his wisdom in how he governs the universe. If God does all this, then Job must acknowledge that God is wise and has a plan, and must trust in him before anything else can move forward. This parallels God's call to faith/trust in the New Testament. Here God shows his credentials:

1. 38:4–7 Creation is like a building whose completion was accompanied by great joy. Whatever follows, the creation is fundamentally good.
2. 38:8–11 The sea is an image of chaos and evil. This is part of creation; it does not lie outside of what God made. And yet it inhabits a strictly limited sphere—“thus far . . . and no farther.”
3. 38:12–15 Wickedness will one day be destroyed. Evil is temporary. Every time the sun rises, it serves as a sign and reminder that darkness cannot endure.
4. 38:16–18 In biblical poetry, the place of the dead lies at the bottom of the chaotic sea. And yet even this, the most extreme place in creation, lies within the Creator’s power and knowledge.
5. 38:19–21 If the last extreme was very deep, these are very wide. From the far east, where the sun rises, to the far west, where it sets, God rules and knows.
6. 38:22–24 Destructive snow, hail, light(nings), storm winds come down from the sky under the control of God.
7. 38:25–27 Instead of destructive water (snow, hail, thunderstorms) we now see water transformed into a life-giving gift that makes even remote deserted lands fertile. The same water is used by God both in a violent way (38:22–24) and a life-giving way. Only God understands how or why.
8. 38:28–30 We have here a beautiful meditation about the relationship between water and the Creator. God is the “father” and “womb” from which water comes in all its varied forms. It comes as “dew” and “rain” to bring fertility. It comes as “ice” and “frost” to threaten life. And all from the same Creator, with whom it has this intimate relationship.
9. 38:31–33 God focuses now on some of the constellations of stars in the sky. Often these have been thought to be divine, influencing affairs on earth (as with horoscopes). But no! Every detail of these stars is ordained and established by the LORD.
10. 38:34–38 And now we come back to water. Every raindrop, each lightning bolt, goes at his command, in detail and precisely as the LORD instructs, whether to destroy or to bring life.
11. 38:39–41 We begin with predators and prey, the lion as a beast predator and the raven as a bird that feeds on the prey of the lion. Surprisingly, God speaks of this whole process—the lion killing the prey and then the raven getting food from the carcass—as a blessing, for it brings food to the defenseless young lions and ravens. So, is it evil or good? What may seem evil could perhaps be good.
12. 39:1–4 If the last section looked at death in the wild, this one considers new life in the wild. These are “mountain goats” not farm goats. God enables them to become pregnant, to go into labor, and to give birth, even in the wild.
13. 39:5–8 Now the camera moves from the mountain goat to the wild donkey, who roams the dry plains. He too, in his wild freedom is under the care and direction of the Creator.
14. 39:9–12 And now the wild ox, a huge and frightening creature. Job is challenged to domesticate this grand animal. But he cannot. The ox is a picture of wild power outside and beyond Job’s control. And yet God controls it all.
15. 39:13–18 But what about the ostrich? What a funny creature she is, failing to care well for her young and yet able to run so very fast! Somehow even in her eccentric strangeness this creature helps us grasp that every creature is under the care and government of God.
16. 39:19–25 The portrait of the war horse pawing eagerly ready for the fight introduces us to another picture of power. For the horse was the nuclear weapon of the ancient world. We are to picture this magnificent creature and marvel that even he is under the control of the Creator.
17. 39:26–30 And then we come back to predator and prey with the hawk or eagle, the bird of prey. Living far above human habitation, God enables him to hunt and to feed his young.

(B) The kinds of things that God mentions are within his active work. These have been somewhat referenced above, but God specifically mentioned to Job that: (1) God has an ongoing story with the "sons of god" (angels) where he is unfolding his glory in their midst, too -- see 38:7. (2) God also does not excuse wickedness, but instead commits that the wicked will "be shaken out of [the earth]" and "light is withheld" from them (38:13, 15). We don't always see this currently, so that will be taken as a future promise. (3) God establishes the laws of the universe as the Creator (38:33). (4) God provides for all his creation, right down to the lion and the raven (38:41). He can be trusted to give what is truly needed. From the highest of heavens, to the laws of the universe, to his plan to deal with wickedness, to his daily provision for every one of his creations, God is on the throne and has things covered.

(C) The gifts of God. These are the gifts that God says he gives throughout his creation. We may ask for these for ourselves, too. (1) God gives "wisdom to the inward parts... understanding to the mind" (38:36). (2) God also gives might to his creatures (39:19). When we are in a situation where we need to ask for God's help to know what to do and be given the ability to do what is needed, we should pray to God, who "gives generously to all without finding fault" (James 1:3).

RESPOND | WHAT IS OUR PART?

These chapters draw us into worship and recognition of the majesty of God. But they also help us to realize that God offers us his help, which he can give, out of the overflow of his power. We should move forward into the things to which God is calling us, knowing that we are not dependant on our own strength and wisdom, but that which God provides.

PRAY | HOW DOES THIS BRING US CLOSER TO GOD?

This is a suggested prayer prompt: "God, help me to understand what I do not currently understand, and do that which I currently find myself unable to do. Rather than moving forward in my own strength and wisdom, help me move forward with that which you provide for the journey. Help me to glorify you in my life today."

ESV Chronological Plan, Day 27 | Job 35-37

LOOK | WHAT DOES IT SAY?

Read Job 35:1-37:24

THINK | WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

(A) God doesn't need us--His love for us isn't so that He can get something in return. Setting aside for the moment what role Elihu plays in the narrative of the book of Job, he certainly says some true things. One of them is this: "Look at the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds, which are higher than you. If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against Him? And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to Him? If you are righteous, what do you give to Him? Or what does He receive from your hand? Your wickedness [only] concerns a man like yourself, and [likewise] your righteousness a son of man" (Job 35:5-8). We should not think so highly of ourselves to believe that God is personally affected by our decision to follow Him or not. If no one worshipped God, He would still be God. But when He glorifies Himself, draws us towards Him, cleanses us of sin, bestows His righteousness upon us as a gift, lifts us up to the highest heaven, and sits us with Him on His throne, clothing us with immortal glory--He does all of this, not because He needs us, but because He knows that we need Him. In the words of the hymn Rock of Ages: "Nothing in my hand I bring; simply to the cross I cling." We don't bring anything in our hands that God needs; but God, who has everything, has given us Himself.

(B) The majesty of God. How often do our prayers include us taking time to meditate on the majesty of God? There is a format for prayer that is sometimes used with the acronym CALL - confess, ask, love, listen. In this model of prayer we start with confession--admitting that our minds wander, that we wander, that our thoughts are far from God, and that we bring all sorts of transgression in thought, word, and deed into our prayer time with us. Then we ask God to help us with those things and with our other requests that we bring to Him. But the third part involves us loving God by meditating on who He is and what He has done. The words of Elihu in Job 36:24-33 (and beyond) would be great to bring into such a prayer time with us as a prompt and a model for us to follow.

“Remember to extol his work,

of which men have sung.

All mankind has looked on it;

man beholds it from afar.

Behold, God is great, and we know him not;

the number of his years is unsearchable.

For he draws up the drops of water;

they distill his mist in rain,

which the skies pour down

and drop on mankind abundantly.

Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds,

the thunderings of his pavilion?

Behold, he scatters his lightning about him

and covers the roots of the sea.

For by these he judges peoples;

he gives food in abundance.

He covers his hands with the lightning

and commands it to strike the mark.

Its crashing declares his presence;

the cattle also declare that he rises.

At this also my heart trembles

and leaps out of its place." 

 

(C) Anticipating the arrival of God. Knowing that at the end of Elihu's speech, God will answer Job from the whirlwind starting in chapter 38, it is hard to read chapter 37 without imagining that Elihu is speaking increasingly loudly and in awe as the storm in which God will reveal Himself approaches. Lines like "Keep listening to the thunder of his voice and the rumbling that comes from his mouth. Under the whole heaven he lets it go, and his lightning to the corners of the earth... From its chamber comes the whirlwind, and cold from the scattering winds... Out of the north comes golden splendor; God is clothed with awesome majesty" (Job 37:2-3, 9, 22) create a picture for us. Imagine the anticipation of knowing that God is drawing near, and that as He comes closer you are seeking to win someone over to put their trust in God. This is the position that we are in every day as Christians. The whirlwind of God's glory draws near; the thunder is in the air; God is clothed with awesome majesty--who will tell our neighbours before He arrives? What will become of the townhouses and the condos nearby? Are the families that live in our vicinity prepared for the meeting? Do they even know the Good News about His impending arrival? Who will tell them? When God answered Job out of the whirlwind, it was for his restoration. But when God comes again and is not hidden in the cloud, all flesh shall see Him, and the time for an accounting will be at hand. As we anticipate the arrival of God, we like Elihu (whatever his role in the narrative is) may be in the position of having the last opportunity to share the news of God's arrival with others before they meet Him.

RESPOND | WHAT IS OUR PART?

I have started referring to different responses under the categories of actions, attitudes, and worship. Under the heading of actions, certainly anticipating God's arrival would lead us to see the need for outreach and personal evangelism. Recently, I started doing campus evangelism with a team that is already experienced in that kind of ministry; for now I am still learning, but eventually I will be confident enough that I could start to take the lead in certain conversations. Then I can take that same skill out to other areas around Ancaster when the weather warms up again. Under the heading of attitudes, knowing that God loves us but doesn't need us -and yet He has done so much for us!- should instill a deep sense of humility. And, a desire to love others without looking for anything in return. Under the heading of worship, taking time to meditate on who He is and what He has done during our prayer times might be transformational for many of us.

PRAY | HOW DOES THIS BRING US CLOSER TO GOD?

Here is a suggested prompt for prayer: "God, help me to anticipate you as if you were approaching me in the whirlwind to speak to me right now. Help me to gaze upon your glory and be transformed by it. Do not let me walk away from this time in prayer without meditating on your goodness, power, and love--which you have demonstrated in the person of Jesus Christ upon the cross. Rid me of my desire to be someone important, and show me instead that I am someone who has been loved by a God who doesn't need anything from me. Give me a heart for those who don't know you. And as the storms of life approach, I ask that you would speak to me out of them."

ESV Chronological Plan, Day 26 | Job 32-34

LOOK | WHAT DOES IT SAY?

Read Job 32:1-34:37

THINK | WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

(A) Unlike Job, who we know to be -mostly- correct in his assessment of his problem because of the material in the first two chapters, or his friends who are rebuked in the final chapters, we don't have any outside commentary from the book of Job on the speeches of Elihu. We only know that he is given a lot of space to speak. To be honest, the speeches of Elihu require more careful study than I have previously given them--or to the whole book of Job in general, which is one of the most difficult to understand texts of Scripture. (That doesn't mean that it isn't important to understand, though; I have already been surprised and helped by Christopher Ash's comments earlier on during the readings through Job.) I've already picked Job as the book that I will be studying carefully in the second part of this year. But I did recently see an article for Desiring God (an excellent ministry and resource, founded by John Piper) on the speeches of Elihu. And, going back to check, it turns out it was written by--Christopher Ash, who has become something of a helpful guide through the book of Job so far. I recommend the article to others in full. Here is a snippet:

"Over the years, I have changed my mind about Elihu. In my first book on Job, I argued that while Elihu was not to be dismissed out of hand, what he says is nevertheless 'not authoritative.' He 'is not a prophet, speaking accurately for God; but neither is he a false prophet to be utterly condemned.' However, while writing a full commentary on Job, I became persuaded that Elihu is indeed a true prophet of God. My introduction reflects this change of view: 'Although many scholars disagree, and I myself used to feel that his was an ambiguous voice, I am now persuaded that Elihu speaks by inspiration of the Spirit as a true and prophetic voice.' Why have I changed my mind? My positive evaluation of Elihu cuts across the grain of much scholarly opinion. I have twelve commentaries on Job in my study. Eleven of them think poorly of Elihu. Nevertheless, some theologians from the past agree — or at least see Elihu in something of a positive light: Gregory the Great (ca. 540–604)... Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274)... [and] John Calvin has not a word to say against Elihu. In her scholarly study of Calvin’s exegesis of Job, Susan E. Schreiner argues, 'There are few people in the Bible Calvin admires more than Elihu,' who speaks 'as a true doctor of the church.' Indeed 'Calvin’s elevation of Elihu is as decisive as that of Maimonides [1138-1204, a Jewish rabbi and philosopher who became one of the most influential Torah scholars of the middle ages]; like Maimonides, Calvin sees Elihu as teaching essentially the same truth declared in the whirlwind speech.'"

(B) Matthew Henry has this to say about Elihu waiting his turn to speak until the older men had done so: "Elihu spoke because he thought that it was time to speak, and that now, at length, it had come to his turn, v. 4, 5. (1.) He had waited on Job's speeches, had patiently heard him out, until the words of Job were ended. (2.) He had waited on his friends' silence, so that, as he would not interrupt him, so he would not prevent them, not because they were wiser than he, but because they were older than he, and therefore it was expected by the company that they should speak first; and Elihu was very modest, and would by no means offer to abridge them of their privilege. Some certain rules of precedency must be observed, for the keeping of order. Though inward real honour will attend true wisdom and worth, yet, since every man will think himself or his friend the wisest and worthiest, this can afford no certain rule for the outward ceremonial honour, which therefore must attend seniority either of age or office; and this respect the seniors may the better require because they paid it when they were juniors, and the juniors may the better pay because they shall have it when they come to be seniors."

RESPOND | WHAT IS OUR PART?

I remember as a teenager, and a new Christian, having a difficult time reading through the first chapter of Ephesians. Although it seems completely clear to me now, I couldn't understand a thing that was being said in that chapter. I read it slowly. I tried to memorize it. I wrote it down and then re-wrote it in my own words (not an exercise that I would try today with the Bible, but it had worked for understanding some difficult material when preparing for debates in the past). But the meaning was completely hidden from my understanding. Given how clear the text seems now, I wonder if the meaning was actually being hidden from me at that time. Why would God do/allow that? I believe that it's because through that process, God humbled me and showed me that I needed him to give me wisdom. The process also taught me to follow God even when I did not understand some things -while not giving up, and still fighting to understand that which wasn't clear to me- a process that occasionally repeats itself. God tends to meet me in a special way during seasons where he sends me out on frustrated walks, tossing around some problem or idea that I can't seem to figure out, and asking him to show me what I don't know. If he didn't draw me into these seasons occasionally, I would be tempted to feel like I'm pretty smart and have everything figured out. So I am glad that God loves me enough to take me to the mat every once in a while, wrestle me on to my shoulders, and show me that I still have a long way to go before I have it all figured out. However, it is also possible that you might see this text pretty clearly where I don't. As Elihu points out, wisdom is not just for certain groups of people like the aged (or pastors). If God has shown you something here, go for it and let me know.

PRAY | HOW DOES THIS BRING US CLOSER TO GOD?

Here is my prayer this morning: "God, thank you for guiding me in wisdom when I am completely at a loss as to what to make of things. Help me to walk with you, and to wait for you to show me the true understanding of things; not to reach for easy but unsatisfying answers, or to just grab onto the opinion of someone who seems like they know what the answer is, but to continue to apply my mind and wait for your wisdom. Guide me into a deeper experience of trust and humility through this process, and teach me your Word."

ESV Chronological Plan, Day 25 | Job 29-31

LOOK | WHAT DOES IT SAY?

Read Job 29:1-31:40

THINK | WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

(A) We are blessed so that we can bless others. One thing that's interesting to see throughout Job 29-31 is this conviction that is treated like common sense: that the one who has been given much is required to use what he has to be a blessing to others. When Job is recounting proof that he has been faithful, he says: "I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to help him... I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame" (Job 29:12, 15). Later on he says of himself, "If I have withheld anything that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless had not eaten of it... then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder, and let my arm be broken from its socket" (Job 31:16-17, 22). In Job's day the only social safety net that existed was the kindness of strangers. If Job didn't help, no one else would (or could). In our day, while our centralized governments are able to provide better security, these kinds of programs are often blunt instruments that do not (and can not) really provide careful, individualized, comprehensive care  to specific people--along with a challenge to move beyond receiving blessing to the point where these they might be able to bless others. This means that the Church, and Christians, who follow God's Word and believe that material blessing comes from God and is given for a purpose, still have  a unique role to play in providing the kind of "on the ground" care that even the most generous governments could not. In many areas where the government works province-by-province and city-by-city, we as Christians are able to serve and see the impact of care that is provided neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood and person-by-person. The one who God has blessed with material goods and wisdom, in order for them to bless others, is still the best social program available.

(B) The categories of sin that Job disavows. Job's speech follows a structure of 1. recounting his former glory; 2. recounting his righteous deeds; 3. recounting his current suffering; 4. proving his innocence by listing common sins and showing that he has not even committed those--at least not as a pattern of living. These categories would be good for us to keep in mind, as we seek to flee from sin and live for righteousness. First, Job denies living in falsehood or with deceit (Job 31:5-8). This includes deceit whose purpose is to get something from others, to seem different than we really are for attention or for an opportunity that we haven't earned, or to make someone else look different than they really are--as in lying about them through gossip. Second, Job denies being enticed by lust (Job 31:9-12). This one is self-explanatory; there is no amount of looking that does not change the heart in some way. Third, Job denies withholding things from those in need (Job 31:13-23). We covered this above. Fourth, Job denies committing the sin of idolatry (Job 31:24-28). It's interesting that along with denying that he has worshipped the sun or moon in secret, Job also mentions that he has not trusted in his wealth. As far as I know, this is the only Old Testament reference which makes the connection between literal idolatry and trusting in one's own material riches. Fifth, and this might surprise someone, Job denies ever being glad that someone who did evil to him got their comeuppance (Job 31:29-36). When God hands out justice in this life, it is either to turn someone on to the right path, to prevent even worse actions, or to display his own glory--and he could just as well at various times have turned his hand against you for other things, but in his mercy, he didn't. None of these reasons for God handing out justice allows  for your celebrating what has happened. We may pray that God would stop an evil person, or that he would show them their error so that they can be restored, or that he would display his glory. But God does not appreciate when he shows us mercy, and we use the opportunity to sit on the sidelines and root for the next person's destruction. We are all deeply in need of the grace of God. This is why Jesus taught us to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors.

C. Hardship makes the Kingdom of God more clear to us. As Job has wrestled with the purpose for his suffering, we have also seen how hardship has made him aware of things he had not known before. He has, several times, intuited the need for the Gospel, for eternal life, for God to cover even the remaining sin of an otherwise righteous person (though as has been stated several times in Job, no one is completely righteous), and for an advocate within God that somehow mediates against the wrath of God. Without suffering, Job would have never come to see any of these things. If God is merciful and gracious and good, then Job may dare to boldy approach him on his throne in order to find favor: "Oh, that I had one to hear me!... I would give him an account of all my steps; like a prince I would approach him" (Job 31:37).

RESPOND | WHAT IS OUR PART?

There are many things in this reading, both that I mentioned and that I didn't, which could draw us to respond in attitude, action, and worship. Some of these applications have already been mentioned above. Job has shown us that we can worship God as the source of both the blessing with which we can bless others, and the hardship that guides us into further understanding. He's shown us that we can use both seasons of wealth and harship to grow in personal maturity, understanding, and holiness. 

PRAY | HOW DOES THIS BRING US CLOSER TO GOD?

Here is a prayer prompt: "God, I ask that you would teach me, in this season, to be faithful with what you have given me. Help me not to spend my time wishing for a different season of life, but to honor and grow in you where I am at. Help me to draw near to you."

ESV Chronological Plan, Day 24 | Job 25-28

LOOK | WHAT DOES IT SAY?

Read Job 25:1-28:28

THINK | WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Continuing on from yesterday, I thought I would highlight some explanatory notes from a few of the excellent study Bibles that are available today. A good study Bible is a great resources to have, though of course the notes are only a fallible commentary on the infallible text of Scripture.

(A) The ESV Study Bible - a peak at the structure of the book. "The dialogue between Job and his three friends has a pattern in which each speech by Job is followed by responses from the friends in a particular order: Eliphaz, Bildad, and then Zophar. After two full cycles of the dialogue, it appears that Job is tired of the repetitive and relentless nature of his friends’ responses. He signals the end of the dialogue by cutting Bildad’s third response short (i.e., it is only six verses long) and precluding any third speech from Zophar. Job concludes with a lengthy monologue in which he takes up several subjects related particularly to the theme of what is hidden and what is revealed... Job criticizes his friends for what is likely an unintentional but still unacceptable consequence of their approach (26:1–4). He questions their certitude by alluding to how much is hidden from human perspective simply in the existence and divine government of the created world (26:5–14)... The first part of Job’s long response is marked with the heading typical of the dialogues, 'Then Job answered and said' (26:1). The heading in 27:1 and in 29:1 ('And Job again took up his discourse') helps bind together the entirety of Job 26-31 as Job’s final speech of the dialogue, which functions as a closing statement."

(B) The CSB Apologetics Study Bible - answering those who say chapters 27-28 don't sound like Job. "Because Job appears to adopt his friends’ view in this passage, some critics theorize that this description of the wicked is wrongly attributed to Job. Some suggest this passage is a lost third speech of Zophar, or that it should be added to Bildad’s short speech (25:1-6). But, as seen elsewhere in the dialogue, Job was searching for answers and encircling his problem from different angles, so his pronouncements were not necessarily consistent with one another (see 21:7-15; 24:18-25). There is no reason to question the text as it stands... Many critical scholars suggest that because the poem of chapter 28 seems to bear no relation to the surrounding discussions, it was once an independent composition that was incorporated later into the text. This view is unnecessary. Job mused concerning the nature of true wisdom that had not been adequately determined in the previous discussions (e.g., 4:21; 11:6-9; 12:12-13; 15:8; 26:3-4). Chapter 28 serves as a transitional piece, clarifying many issues relating to wisdom that have been brought up previously and laying the groundwork for Job’s soliloquy in chaps. 29-31."

(C) The ESV Gospel Transformation Study Bible - Jesus is a true comforter. "[In Job 26:1-3] Job’s sarcasm directed at the three who have now been seen to be false comforters affirms by implication what a true comforter should be like. A true comforter would have 'helped him who has no power' (v. 2). A true comforter would have 'saved the arm that has no strength' (v. 2). A true comforter would have 'counseled him who has no wisdom' (v. 3). A true comforter would have 'plentifully declared sound knowledge' (v. 3). A helper, a saver, a counselor, a proclaimer: all those things a true comforter would be—as our Savior ultimately demonstrated. Note the 'no' in 'no power... no strength... no wisdom' (26:2–3). True comfort comes to us when we are at the end of the road, with no gas in the engine and no human possibility of gas for thousands of miles around. Grace doesn’t add to what’s already there. Grace comes to our aid when there is nothing there. This is the comforting grace that Jesus Christ embodied in his life and ministry. He is the Comforter for all who have broken down and have nothing left to run on."

RESPOND | WHAT IS OUR PART?

As seen in the underlined bits above, there are lots of things there that we could appropriately respond to through action, attitude, or worship. (1) Job's example in cutting short the third cycle of speeches from his friends might be a good pattern for us, to remove ourselves from interactions that are exercising a downward pull on our spiritual lives, and which are not heading towards any helpful resolution. (i.e. Some interactions will drain you, but you can tell you are making a difference--others will drain you, and it's clear that you aren't). (2) Job's speech in chapter 26 focuses on the inexpressible glory of God--if you go back and focus on 26:6-14, these verses may draw you into worship. (3) Based on just a surface reading, with no additional study, I was confused by Job's words in chapter 27, which don't sound like him. I still am confused. But the argument found in the Apologetics Study Bible seems like it could have some promise, and it helps me to have an attitude of confidence that there is a satisfactory answer that I will find when I come back to Job for more serious study later on this year. (4) Knowing that Jesus is the comforter of the one who has nothing hits me on several levels: I can respond with worship, it makes me feel an attitude of humility, and it makes me want to put into action the qualities of one who is truly a comforter to others in the pattern set by our God.

PRAY | HOW DOES THIS BRING US CLOSER TO GOD?

Here is a suggested prayer prompt: "God, guide me by Your wisdom. When it comes to my relationships, or things that are confusing me, or my feeling like I have nothing left--God, please show me Your wisdom in those situations. Help by drawing me towards a sense of being lost in the worship of You, of Whom I can search forever and still only begin to detect 'the outskirts of Your ways' [Job 26:14]. Help me to find true wisdom by turning to You, for 'the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom' [Job 28:28]. Make me understand, in my heart, that You are enough for me."

ESV Chronological Plan, Day 23 | Job 22-24

LOOK | WHAT DOES IT SAY?

Read Job 22:1-24:25

THINK | WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

To do something a little bit different today, I'd like to highlight some good Study Bible resources. I'm a big believer in study Bibles; it is incredibly helpful to have some explanatory notes to help out when a passage seems a little bit hard to understand, or when background information would help to explain something better. There are lots of good options out there, so I will pick three for today and highlight at least one on most other days of this chronological journey.

(A) The NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible. "[In Job 23:1-24:25] Job still wishes he knew where to find God, and he believes that if he could confront him, God would listen to him and acquit him (23:6–7). Nevertheless, God 'knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold' (23:10). Job expresses his intuitive insight so far into what is going on between him and God: God is trying him in order to show the purity of his character. And indeed that is precisely the case! (1:8). This explanation for Job’s suffering may be called the probationary explanation: God is trying Job to reveal his genuine religious faith. The metaphor 'I will come forth as gold' builds off Eliphaz’s assurance that if Job submits to God, God will become his gold (22:25). Slowly Job is moving away from his friends and their speeches and counter-speeches and moving closer to losing himself in his own thoughts about God and his personal dilemma; his position becomes virtually two monologues (chs. 28; 29–31) that form a capstone to the dialogue. In 22:23 Eliphaz instructed Job to 'return to the Almighty;' Job replies, in 23:3, 'If only I knew where to find him.' Job’s confidence in a benevolent God has been growing since he declared in ch. 9 that even if he could approach God, God would prevail against him because of his power. Job insists, 'No godless person would dare come before him!' (13:16), thus anticipating this moment. Now Job is sure that if he could find God, God 'would not press charges' against him. On the contrary, God could establish Job’s innocence."

(B) The Life Application Study Bible. "[In chapter 22] Eliphaz declares that Job’s view of God is too small, and he criticized Job for thinking that God was too far removed from earth to care about him. If Job knew of God’s intense, personal interest in him, Eliphaz said, he wouldn’t dare take his sins so lightly. Eliphaz had a point—some people do take sin lightly because they think God is far away and doesn’t notice all we do. But his point did not apply to Job. Several times Job’s friends showed a partial knowledge of God’s truth and character, but they had trouble accurately applying this truth to Job's life. Such was the case with Eliphaz, who gave a beautiful summary of repentance. He was correct in saying that we must ask for God’s forgiveness when we sin, but his statement did not apply to Job, who had already sought God’s forgiveness (7:20, 21; 9:20; 13:23) and had lived closely in touch with God all along."

(C) The Gospel Coalition Commentary. Alright, so this last one is not a study Bible--but it is a free, online commentary on the whole Bible, with some of the top Bible scholars in the world having contributed to it. The notes on the book of Job are written by Christopher Ash. He writes, "Where Eliphaz and his friends think that justice is perfectly done on earth, Job knows justice is lacking but longs for the day when it will be established on the whole earth. Job’s speech here is almost an expanded version of the cry “Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven” in the Lord’s prayer. Job is reaching towards the understanding that, although God is sovereign in all he commands, not all that he commands fits yet with what he desires; in this age God commands puzzling things, in order to work out his inscrutable purposes of good, so that in the age to come he will bring to fruition all that he desires. In chapter 23 the burden of Job’s speech is the longing that those who are righteous by faith will be vindicated. Then in chapter 24 he turns to the other side of the problem and cries out that the wicked will be judged. Probably Job is agreeing with his friends that there will be a judgment but doubting that it always happens straightaway, as they suppose."

RESPOND | WHAT IS OUR PART?

Increasingly, Job ceases to really interact with those bringing accusations against him, and he begins to center his thoughts more upon God--intuitively coming to understand many important theological truths in the process. As he focuses on God, he begins to understand how the world works on God's timeline. Maybe a great way to respond to that, today, would be to ask that God would help you to do the same--that He would help you to be less overwhelmed by the urgency and downward pull of the things of this world, so that like Job you would be enabled to tune those things out and begin to turn your attention to Him more directly, to wrestle with the things of God.

PRAY | HOW DOES THIS BRING US CLOSER TO GOD?

Here is a suggested prayer prompt for today: "God, there are so many things going on in and around me that take up my mental space. I have urgent cares that need to be acted upon; I have relationships that demand my focus; I have responsibilities; I have things that demand a response from me from without, and I sometimes face discouragement and times of guilt or questioning from within. Help me, God, to turn towards you. Help me to tune those things out, at least for these next few moments, so that I can focus on you. Remind me that the rest of the world around me is just temporary noise, but that You are eternal peace. Fill me with Your Spirit. Grant spiritual insight to me. Help me to breathe in calmly, and to know that You are God."

ESV Chronological Plan, Day 22 | Job 18-21

LOOK | WHAT DOES IT SAY?

Read Job 18:1-21:34

THINK | WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

(A) As Bildad and Zophar both take turns speaking against Job again  in these chapters, it's worth taking a moment to draw on Christopher Ash's popular-level book on suffering in Job, titled Trusting God in the Darkness, to lay out what exactly is wrong with Job's accusers. He writes, "The trouble with [Job’s] comforters is that so much of what they say sounds right. It would be a useful exercise to read their speeches with a pencil in hand, and to put a tick in the margin against every statement they make with which we agree. There would be many ticks, and generally high marks for doctrinal orthodoxy, so much so that it is easy to think the friends are doctrinally sound teachers whose fault is simply that they are pastorally insensitive. But more careful consideration suggests that their fault lies deeper than pastoral insensitivity. It is the content, not just the tone, of their teaching that is false... There are three vital truths they don’t believe." The three vital truths that they don't believe, Ash goes on to say, are: (1) "They have no place in their thinking for Satan." (2) "There is no hoping for a future promised, but only living in the present." (3) "Perhaps the deepest error and omission of the friends is this: they have no place for innocent suffering." It might just be possible that the reason Job's friends are such miserable comforters is that, having achieved some level of insight and knowledge, they have decided to rest on their high level of understanding and haven't explored any further, which is why they are not really in possession of the truth--they haven't even considered the problems of innocent suffering or of seeming injustice in this life. And, judging by their emotional reactions to Job, they don't want to consider them. So because they have stopped growing in their understanding, they haven't understood important theological truths that would have been important in helping Job. By contrast, Job asks them, "Have you not asked those who travel the roads, and do you not accept their testimony that the evil man is spared in the day of calamity, that he is rescued in the day of wrath?" (Job 21:29-30). Job seems to have previously taken the time to understand the way that the world is, and to apply his theology to what he is seeing on the ground, which is why even at the start of his suffering, he was able to say: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD" (Job 1:21). As time goes on, Job's experience here leads to him being able to put the pieces together and intuitively come to understand some important truths, and he almost goes on to become his own comforter. Which leads us to the next bit.

(B) The Gospel continues to come into clear focus in Job's speeches. Although his friends keep pushing him back towards defensively explaining how he is suffering without cause, when Job is talking, he occasionally has some flashes of insight. We see one of these in Job 19:23-27: "Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were transcribed in a book... For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!" Who is Job's Redeemer? As we saw in yesterday's reading, "this witness who argues Job's case before God is--God himself." Job comes to believe at this point that there will be a life after this one, that God is for him (though he currently seems to also be against him), and that the unseen God who he holds on to by faith will one day stand upon the earth, visible, personified; and Job in his resurrected flesh will see it and be satisfied. This has already come true as God, in human form, has stood upon the earth as Jesus of Nazareth. He has ascended back into heaven, where he intercedes for us before God the Father: "we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (1 John 2:1)--a fulfillment of Job's intuition that in some strange way, God must be his advocate with God. And one day this will literally be true for Job, as he will participate in the resurrection of the saints, and life everlasting in the presence of Jesus, whom he anticipates in these verses. No longer will God be mysteriously invisible, nor will he speak in a hidden way "through the whirlwind" as God does at the end of the book (38:1), but Job says "I shall see God... my eyes shall behold, and not another." That is good news.

RESPOND | WHAT IS OUR PART?

There are many things in these passages that I did not get into, including knowing the difference between the time for correction and the time to just be there to provide comfort (19:2-4). But we can respond to the reading from today through an action item like taking time today to learn and grow in your understanding of how the Christian faith applies to tricky situations, or we can respond through worship as the picture of the Gospel in Job leads us into astonishment at what God revealed to Job, or we can respond through a change in attitude by choosing not to assume the worst of others, as Job's friends continue to do with him.

PRAY | HOW DOES THIS BRING US CLOSER TO GOD?

Here is a prayer prompt: "God, please help me to have an active faith that applies itself to every area of my life, and that helps me understand better the world that you have made. Don't allow me to settle for knowing just a few disconnected truths that will make me seem wise, as Job's friends seemed. Instead, help me to continually see everything around me in a new way, through the lens of the Gospel."

ESV Chronological Plan, Day 21 | Job 15-17

LOOK | WHAT DOES IT SAY?

Job 15:1-17:16

THINK | WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

(A) My read is that Eliphaz is a genuinely godly, though mistaken, man. He really goes after Job here--and Job points it out ("miserable comforters are you all... I also could speak as you do, if you were in my place; I could join words together against you and shake my head at you. [Or,] I could strengthen you with my mouth, and the solace of my lips would assuage your pain," Job 16:2-5). Partly, Eliphaz is offended at Job's claim that God is treating him like an enemy without cause, though he is innocent, which would then seem to make God out to be unrighteous. Job probably did get right up to the line of saying something like this in chapter 16, but he did -just- hold back. So Eliphaz is finding himself unable to comfort Job, because Job is saying something that Eliphaz believes is wrong--surely a mistake in priorities given the needs of the moment. But there is also an element of Eliphaz being offended due to his seniority; Job is clearly much younger than his friends, and Eliphaz can't believe someone so much younger than him would claim to be able to correct him: "Are you the first man who was born?... Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us, older than your father" (Job 15:10). Eliphaz can't listen to someone who he feels is wrong, and who is also his junior (by many years). His only conclusion is that this young man needs to be harshly put down to learn some humility, and so he spends the rest of the chapter painting the picture of "the wicked man" (15:17-35) who not coincidentally looks like Job looks and feels like he feels. It's petty, and personal, and the kind of mistake good people make when they take offense and start talking past each other.

(B) Have you ever felt like God has put you in a difficult place? Or like you don't understand why you are going through something--you've searched for what might be the spiritual cause, and though you do find things that you need to correct, nothing seems to be especially the cause of what you are facing? Have you wondered why God is allowing things to happen in your life? That's where Job is at. He is not trying to accuse God of unrighteousness, he replies, but there is a difficulty there: "I was at ease, and [God] broke me apart; he seized me by the neck and dashed me to pieces... He breaks me with breach upon breach; he runs upon me like a warrior... although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure" (Job 16:12, 14, 17). And, because of the way the book is set up, we have seen that Job is right. He has been made to suffer though he has not been especially guilty of any wrong. Wouldn't it be amazing if each of us could see into the spiritual realm to understand why we are experiencing the things we're going through? But we can't. And, at this point at least, neither can Job. All he (and we) can do in this situation is to know the truth and yet say, "Even though he slay me, I will hope in Him" (Job 13:15).

(C) Where is the Gospel in this passage? With increasing frequency and clarity, it's all over the place.

(1) Somehow Job is able to understand that"even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and he who testifies for me is on high" (16:17). And strangely, this witness who argues Job's case before God is--God himself! He says, "My eye pours out tears to God, that he [God!] would argue the case of a man with God. like a son of man [i.e. a human being] does with his neighbour" (16:20-21). John Calvin once wrote that man's knowledge of himself could lead them to God ("every man, being stung by the consciousness of his own unhappiness, in this way necessarily obtains at least some knowledge of God," Institutes 1.1.1), and here through knowledge of himself and his own experience, Job has been able to reason out that the God who is his judge (who is doing all this to him, so far as he knows) must also be God his advocate (who knows his piety), and therefore in some strange way God must advocate for him with God. Christopher Ash writes,

"In 16:18–21, in one of the most extraordinary passages in the book, Job cries out to the God who is attacking him. Just as the blood of Abel cried out from the ground for justice (Gen 4:10), so the blood (the sufferings) of Job cry out to heaven for vindication: 'O earth, cover not my blood.' Somehow Job believes that there is a 'witness' for him in the presence of God, who will testify for him that he is a true believer (Job 16:19). Who is this witness? It must be God himself. Somehow in God there is a witness who speaks for the believer against the wrath of God. Such a longing finds its fulfilment at the cross of Christ."

(2) Secondly, and this is not the end of the Gospel in today's reading but for space I will have to wrap up here, Job also asks God to "lay down a pledge" for him (17:3). For all Eliphaz's hurtful and untrue words in chapter 15, he was right about at least one thing: no man can be pure before God--"What is man, that he can be pure? Or he who is born of a woman, that he can be righteous? Behold, God puts no trust in his holy ones, and the heavens are not pure in his sight" (15:14-15). And so, Job knows that not only will God have to advocate for him with God, but God will need to make an offering for him as he used to do for his own children: "Lay down a pledge for me with you; who is there who will put up security for me?" (17:3). Has Job intuited the need for God to mediate with him and provide the sacrifice to wash away his sin, which is more effective than any he could offer for himself? Yes. Here is Christopher Ash again: "In 17:3 [Job] appears again to call on God to 'lay down a pledge for' him. This probably means he is appealing to God to give security in Job’s place, to provide a substitute to die in Job’s stead." And many, many years later, for Job and for you and for me, that's what happened.

RESPOND | WHAT IS OUR PART?

The biggest thing that I got out of today's reading was the Gospel, and that we need to, like Job, just cast ourselves at the feet of God and to put our trust in Him continually. We could all do that afresh over and over again, and need it just as much every time. Let's not hang on to our wisdom or our age or our experience like Eliphaz, let's not see ourselves primarily as correct people there to straighten up the wrong people, but let's wrestle with what we see in the world and come to realize, like Job, that God is the only answer to the questions that we have for God.

PRAY | HOW DOES THIS BRING US CLOSER TO GOD?

Here is a prompt for prayer: "God, I need you. Help me to lean on and trust you, for everything, during every part of every day. Help me to enjoy a vibrant, rich, personal relationship with you. Even when everything else in my world is falling apart, help me like Job to trust in you."

ESV Chronological Plan, Day 20 | Job 11-14

LOOK | WHAT DOES IT SAY?

Read Job 11:1-14:22

THINK | WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

(A) This response from Zophar (and Job's response to him) caps off the first out of three cycles of speeches found throughout Job 3-26.  Across these chapters each of Job's friends will take turns to "help" Job understand that, if he just deals with whatever error he is committing and responds in faith, God will respond and shower him with earthly blessings. But because we've read chapters 1-2, we know that Job is an upright man. We know that he doesn't have any notable sort of secret sin issue. He is an innocent sufferer. Along the way, Job's friends demonstrate a lot of good understanding of who God is and show their own wisdom--but when they apply that wisdom to Job's situation and assume that God is about giving good people good things in this life and bad people bad things, their wisdom breaks down. They are so close to the truth. They are correct about so many things. But because they believe that blessings for righteousness are something that happens in this life, they have to assume that if Job isn't experiencing that blessing, something must be wrong with him. And that's where all their wisdom proves to be warped and broken; both harmful, and full of errors.

(B) It's really important to remind ourselves that the people speaking to Job are his friends. They start out that way in chapter 2, and they are still his friends at the end of the book in chapter 42. They fight, they say untrue things to each other out of frustration, they get hot tempered and dig in and get really personal sometimes, and yesterday when Bildad implied that Job's children probably deserved to die (8:4), I was reminded that Job was likely still currently holding a sharp object in his hand (2:8) and had nothing to lose, and he must have possessed incredible restraint or the book would have ended right there with the unfortunate slaying of Bildad. But this is a good word to us--the men who say and do these things, who are so mistaken and so hurtful, were also some of the most wise and godly men on earth at that time. They could also be incredibly giving, as they were in chapter 2 when they sat in silence with Job for seven days. We are all striving to grow in holiness, and we all miss the mark and do things that we look back on later and regret. Instead of defending our own goodness and digging in by insisting that we didn't intend any harm, we should all remember that we all deal with sin and selfishness, we all deal with our own biases and unwillingness to listen, and we all have need of constant repentance which renews our dependence on God's grace. When we have this down, it will help us be more willing to confront ourselves and commit to personal growth, and it will help us to be more forgiving of others. When we understand that, if life were a Western, we would all be wearing black hats and only Jesus would be wearing a white hat, that gives us what we need to forgive others a little more readily. If we understand that, then like Job, we could still hold onto friendships even with the clear breaches of friendship that we've seen so far (and are about to see). Note: this doesn't mean we are required to hold on to bad friendships. Sometimes the same wisdom that allows you to hold on to a good friendship despite a significant blow up or breach of trust, also requires you to get rid of a bad friendship that, despite good moments, consistently brings harm to you and those you care for.

(C) Regarding the Gospel, there's a very important and interesting development in chapter 14 surrounding the doctrine of the afterlife. In fact, this might be the biggest development in the book of Job--so keep your eyes open for it. Job, and likely his friends as well, seem to agree that there is no such thing as life after death (that's virtually what all of Job's speech as recorded in chapter 14 is all about). But in Job 14:14-17, Job is willing to entertain the thought of resurrection or life after death, just for a moment. He says, well if that were true, then that would change everything: "If a man dies, shall he live again? [If that were true,] All the days of my service I would wait, till my renewal should come. You [God] would call, and I would answer you; you would long for the work of your hands... my transgression would be sealed up in a bag, and you would cover over my iniquity."  If this life is everything, then God is not just unless he rewards the righteous with prosperity, since that's what they've earned--good people should get good things. But if this life is not everything, and if history is heading towards a glorious conclusion and a reward at the end that all the righteous throughout history will share in, then that really changes the calculus of God's grace and justice. We could wait through some pretty hard circumstances if that were true, and know that God would be there waiting for us with arms open in the end. And in fact, that's what Job concludes must be true within just a few chapters: he will say in Job 19:25-27: "I know that my Redeemer lives, and at last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!" The reality of the innocent sufferer, combined with a belief in God's power and justice, reveals the necessity of not only a resurrection, but a plan to deal with the problem of human sin, pain, and brokenness once and for all. And that's where Jesus comes in--as the only possible resolution to the conundrum that Job faces throughout the book.

RESPOND | WHAT IS OUR PART?

This passage gives us a lot of different ways that we can respond to it. We can see Zophar as a negative example, and resolve never to treat people the way that treats Job (even when we think that we are right). But then we could also think about the friendship that was strong enough to bind Zophar and Job as friends even after this conflict, and ask ourselves if there are any good relationships we've let go of prematurely due to bad moments. Or, we can realize that Zophar is not altogether different from us, and walk with more humility when we feel someone is guilty of an offense (11:1-3) or when we believe they are factually in the wrong about something we feel is important (11:11-12). This chapter and others like it should also insulate us from some of the prosperity theology that exists out there in the wider Christian world, even among some very godly people, as Job is an entire book of the Bible that exposes a similar ideology amongst Job's friends as harmful. And we can also respond in thankfulness to God, that he has given us a greater understanding of eternal life than Job or his friends were aware of. This awareness prepares us for the idea that our eternal relationship with God, not our present earthly prosperity, is our primary concern. And that prepares us for the Gospel and God's provision of Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins (but not, in His first coming, with many important earthly concerns like the deliverance of Israel from Rome, or the eradication of evil, etc). The hope of resurrection/eternal life realigns everything and shows why the work of Jesus is necessary.

PRAY | HOW DOES THIS BRING US CLOSER TO GOD?

This is a suggested prompt for prayer: "God, thank you for creating me with an eternal purpose. Please send your Spirit to make me aware of that purpose; also to be more patient, to live with a greater sense of freedom and joy, and to trust in you more. Thank you for the work of Jesus which, though it does not guarantee me riches in this life, instead grants me the hope of the richness of your grace throughout all the rest of eternity. Draw me closer to you no matter what comes my way. Amen."

ESV Chronological Plan, Day 19 | Job 8-10

LOOK | WHAT DOES IT SAY?

Read Job 8:1-10:22

THINK | WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

(A) I was caught off guard by the offensiveness of Bildad saying to Job, "If your children sinned against God, then He has delivered them into the hand of their transgression" (Job 8:4). If Job had been anything less than the fully upright and humble man that this book says he was, then the whole Book of Job might have ended right there! But, beyond that, we as the readers also know that Bildad was wrong. Bildad had a pretty simple religious outlook that said good people get good things, and bad people get bad things. In the words of Christopher Ash: "There is no place in Bildad’s thinking, as there was not in Eliphaz’s, for innocent suffering. And therefore, there is no place for the cross of Christ and no hope of any gospel." We shouldn't view things the same way as Bildad. We should avoid a religious mindset which looks down on those who are depressed, downtrodden, and oppressed, and instead we should instead see ourselves as similar to others. We should view God as gracious and giving. And we should not see our relationships with God as a transaction where we perform good deeds and expect God to reciprocate with earthly blessings, like some sort of providential cosmic vending machine. Rather, we should see our relationship with God as one where He uses all things to highlight His glory and draw us to Himself. 

(B) Bildad shows us two things about learning from tradition--one lesson is intentional on his part, and the other is unintentional. He says, "inquire of bygone ages, and consider what the fathers have searched out. For we are but of yesterday and know nothing, for our days on earth are a shadow" (Job 8:8-9). By telling Job to inquire of bygone ages, the intentional (and true) lesson is that we can learn important lessons by looking at how previous generations have addressed important problems or figured out tricky moral conundrums. They might not have got it right, but they at least made some headway towards figuring things out. Traditions are important for at least that reason: they represent the previous generation's hard work in building things or figuring things out. But they're not always helpful. The unintentional (and true) lesson that Bildad teaches us about tradition, though, is that traditions can be wrong. The prosperity theology that Bildad professes, he says, is the historical view of God where he is from. But if that's true, then that kind of tradition is worthless. We should be willing to learn from those who came before us, though in the end we might realize that we need to go in a different direction than they did.

(C) In this reading, there is a troubling assertion on Job's part that God is like a bully who is out to get him, and who can't be reasoned with because He uses His might to remain in the right. Here is what the Life Application Study Bible says: "'Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me.' Job was saying, 'In spite of my good life, God is determined to condemn me.' As his suffering continued, he became more impatient. Although Job remained loyal to God, he made statements he would later regret. In times of extended sickness or prolonged pain, it is natural for people to doubt, to despair, or to become impatient. During those times, people need someone to listen to them, to help them work through their feelings and frustrations. Your patience with their impatience will help them...  In frustration, Job jumped to the false conclusion that God was out to get him. Wrong assumptions lead to wrong conclusions. We dare not take our limited experiences and jump to conclusions about life in general. If you find yourself doubting God, remember that you don’t have all the facts. God wants only the very best for your life. Many people endure great pain, but ultimately they find some greater good came from it. When you’re struggling, don’t assume the worst."

RESPOND | WHAT IS OUR PART?

Job and Bildad are both guilty of different errors in today's reading. Bildad assumes that suffering is evidence of someone's own wickedness, and Job feels like God is out to get him without reason. What they both lacked was insight into what God was doing and why. When we are in distress, we can come to God and ask Him to share insight into why things are happening in certain ways. We can also read Scripture, which shows us the heart of God.

PRAY | HOW DOES THIS BRING US CLOSER TO GOD?

Here is a suggested prayer prompt: "God, I don't always see things clearly, and I don't always get to see everything from your perspective. But I want to be humble before You. Help me through prayer and time in your Word to begin to see things with your eyes. When difficulties come my way, help me to draw closer to you. Help me to see you accurately through the way that You have acted in history, and in how You have revealed Yourself through Scripture over and over again. And as I learn about You in Your Word, help me to approach you with humility and a desire to learn. Amen."

ESV Chronological Plan, Day 18 | Job 4-7

LOOK | WHAT DOES IT SAY?

Read Job 4:1-7:21

THINK | WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

(A) A little bit over a decade ago, I had a goal to read the Bible through in a year, which then fell apart when I got into the Book of Job. I had no idea what to do with the length and complicated nature of the book. I knew that Job's friends would eventually be accused of speaking inaccurately about God, while Job is credited as speaking truly of Him (Job 42:7). But, throughout the book, Job's friends often do speak accurately of God. In fact, according to Christopher Ash, "one of the very few explicit quotations of Job in the New Testament comes when Paul quotes with approval a statement of Eliphaz ([Job] 5:13 quoted in 1 Cor. 3:13)." That true statement of Eliphaz is from our reading this morning! Meanwhile, though Job is eventually credited with accurate speech about God, he is also challenged for being "a faultfinder" who "argues with God" (Job 40:2), to which Job has to admit that he has spoken "without knowledge... what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me" (42:3). This means that throughout the book of Job, each speaker says both true and untrue things about God, though it would appear that Job's overall framework for how he approaches God is more accurate. But we're not told how. That is what makes many of the chapters to follow so difficult--there is no narrator guiding us to discern which statements are true and false. So our evaluation of the statements to come have to be guided by (1) what we know to be true as revealed elsewhere in Scripture; and (2) what we know based on the overall structure of the Book of Job.

(B) We do know a couple of things from the outset. First, we know that Job is "a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil" (Job 1:1, 1:8, 2:3). So, any statement to the contrary by Job's friends is false: when their understanding of God requires Job to be a wicked man who deserves what he's getting, they are wrong. Second, we know that Job is not suffering for any sin that he has committed (Job 2:3-6). Eliphaz basically teaches a form of prosperity theology. He asks "Remember: who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off? As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same" (4:7-8). With a touch of gentleness, Eliphaz even makes the (true!) statement that all people are guilty and stained by sin, so there is no shame in Job admitting that he is deserving of God's anger, somehow (4:17-19). Except that we know, and Job knows, that he really hasn't done anything especially worthy of all the trouble that has happened to him. He is as close as any human can be to an innocent sufferer. As the book of Job goes on, our awareness of this dynamic will expose the wisdom of Job's friends for what it really is: a bunch of religious nonsense that does not correspond with any reality on earth or under heaven. The reality is that the righteous do suffer unjustly, and this means that we can't look to this life to find the reward for living faithfully for God. This makes the Book of Job a great "Yes, but" companion to the Book of Proverbs. Righteous and wise living does generally tend to "work" better than the alternative as Proverbs points out, but that's not a guarantee things will always go well. We live in a fallen world. So as a counterpoint to Proverbs, Job shows us that our hope has to come from something beyond this life, from something that will simultaneously take care of our sin problem, subdue Satan and his pursuit of God's saints, and restore the world to a state where suffering and natural disasters and disease and wickedness do not exist anymore. That's where God's rescue plan through Jesus comes in.

(C) Job points to the Gospel in a number of ways. (1) First, he is an innocent sufferer who, though he makes an offering to cover the sins of others (1:5), nevertheless suffers the wounds of wrath when he has done no wrong. (2) Second, Job's knowledge of his own innocence ("make me understand how I have gone astray," 6:24) reveals to us the need for a vision of God's justice and goodness that allows for upright people to experience significant tragedy in this life. Is there a future, or an afterlife, where the upright are rewarded and suffering is no more? The answer is yes, though the Book of Job doesn't reveal this: instead it shows the necessity for both of those things to be true. (3) Third, there are a couple of statements in our reading today that point to the Gospel. Eliphaz asks, "who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off?" (See Job 4:7.) We could raise our hands to that question and answer, "that's what happened to Jesus." Jesus came among us and became the true and better Job -the truly perfect, completely innocent sufferer- who, like Job in the beginning and end of the book, intercedes for those who have been united to him in relationship and offers up a sacrifice on their behalf. Meanwhile, Job acknowledges that he is guilty of some sin, but he asks God "Why do you not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity?" (See Job 7:21.) We know, even from the book of Job, that pardon for sin requires a sacrifice. But the sacrifices that Job offers can't be a permanent solution. To take care of the sin problem once and for all, a greater offering must be made. That's where Jesus' death on the cross in our place for our sins comes in.

RESPOND | WHAT IS OUR PART?

There are many things that we could draw out of today's reading beyond what I already mentioned. And we could respond to them in any number of ways. Maybe we could respond with worship to Eliphaz's description of God's majesty in Job 5:8-16. Or, we could consciously place our hope in things beyond how things are going with our current life situation, in contrast to the prosperity theology that Eliphaz teaches in Job 5:19-26. Or we could remember that when we are comforting those in our midst, Job's friends show us how silence and companionship is often a better anwer than offering unsolicited theological prescriptions. Or maybe something else stuck out to you, and you could share that in further comments or replies.

PRAY | HOW DOES THIS BRING US CLOSER TO GOD?

Here is a suggested prayer prompt: "Holy Spirit, help me to be a comfort to those around me when I am called upon. Help me know when to speak and when not to. Help me to live an upright life toward you, like Job lived, even if the reward for doing so is not something that I necessarily experience in this life. Help me to put my hope in You. Father, thank you that you have pardoned my transgression and taken away my iniquity through the sacrifice of your Son. And Jesus, thank you for being the truly innocent sufferer who bore the wounds of justice in my place. Help me to trust in your goodness given to me rather than in any goodness I might be tempted to claim apart from You. Amen."

ESV Chronological Plan, Day 17 | Job 1-3

LOOK | WHAT DOES IT SAY?

Read Job 1:1-3:26

THINK | WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

(A) No one knows when the Book of Job takes place, so in chronological plans this book is sometimes placed after The Fall in Genesis 3, or just before the story of Abraham after Genesis 11. Here, by placing it after the Book of Genesis entirely, Steinmann seems to agree with an interesting idea that Job was an Edomite, a descendant of Esau, and possibly a King of Edom to be identified with "Jobab" (Genesis 36:33). There's actually a lot of merit to this suggestion.

(B) In my reading, I felt like Job presented a helpful example of what it means to be upright before God. (1) He reverently "feared God and turned away from evil" (Job 1:1). (2) He was a faithful steward of his possessions (1:2-3). (3) He was both a patriarchal family man who took spiritual responsibility for his family, while also allowing space for his adult children to form their own family life and traditions (1:4-5); (4) He rose early to dedicate himself and his family to God and practice spiritual disciplines--in his case, early morning sacrifices (1:5). (5) He was attentive not just towards guarding against outward sin, but he also placed importance on the inward attitudes of the heart as well -- i.e. "It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts" (1:5). (6) Though he had great possessions, Job's relationship with God was not dependent on outward blessing (1:22-23). (7) Job was willing to receive whatever God brought his way--though as we see later, that doesn't mean that he wasn't also deeply suffering and in distress (2:10; 3:1-26).

(C) The work of Satan in these chapters is brutal to read about. We see that besides his role as our accuser (1:8-11, 2:3-5), Satan has some degree of influence over wicked people (1:15, 1:17), over natural disasters like lightning and hurricanes (1:16, 1:19), over disease (2:7), and even over those who are wrongly well-intentioned (2:9, 2:11). And he can bring all these things together at one time to overwhelm us and bring us into desperation. Sometimes a telltale sign of spiritual attack is not any one individual issue that comes up, but the combination of many things all together that suddenly (and improbably) arise simultaneously in our health, relationships, wellbeing, finances, family life, and interactions all at one time. As a pastor, I sometimes see this in predictable ways such as when a large variety of problems arise all at once right as we are preparing to take some kind of important move forward, or to bring the Gospel out to those around us, or even when I am preparing to preach on a particularly important subject. When it becomes clear that this is happening, the first and most important thing to do is pray, because while these things individually appear natural and need to be addressed through taking action on them, their combined occurrence all at one time likely has an origin in the spiritual realm.

(D) It's important to see the Gospel even in these difficult chapters. And Job gives us one easy way to be reminded of what God has done for us. See, whenever you see sacrifices in the Old Testament, you should think of Jesus. When Job is worried that his children may have sinned in their hearts, he "consecrated them... and offered burnt offerings according to their number" (1:5). Like Job consecrates his children and makes offerings for them, God as our Father consecrates us, which means that he makes us holy. And he does this by providing the only sacrificial offering that can truly take away our sins and make us righteous--the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, in our place, for our sins. See the parallels here? They're right on the surface. Job as a father provided a sacrifice to save his children from their sins and to make them holy (which is what the word "consecrated" means). That's exactly what our Heavenly Father does for us through sending Jesus. On the cross, Jesus took on our guilt so that we could share in His righteousness. All the sacrifices of the Old Testament point to Him.

RESPOND | WHAT IS OUR PART?

We could respond to this reading in a number of ways. We could imitate Job's example of righteousness. We could be moved to pray more intently for things in the spiritual realm. We could be filled with thankfulness that God, as a loving father, would provide for us and consecrate us as Job provided for his children. Or maybe something else stuck out to you--and you could respond by sharing that with the rest of the group.

PRAY | HOW DOES THIS BRING US CLOSER TO GOD?

Here is a suggested prayer prompt: "God, help me to trust in you, especially when things do not go well. Help me to trust that you are good and that you are in control. Help me to live for you no matter what. Grant me the spiritual insight to see my trials for what they are also, that whatever happens, it can draw me closer to you. Today, help me to serve you faithfully and with humility. Amen."