Job's Despair

Press, 4 December 1978, Page 21

Job's Despair

Eliphaz the Temanite came from a people who were famous for their wisdom, he had tried to console Job from the standpoint of human experience Job only longed to die because of his misery. Job also bitterly accused God of illtreatment and injustice. Why wont you let me alone," he asks God. "Even long enough to spit? Has my sin harmed you, O God. watcher of mankind? Whyhave you made me your target, and made my life so heavy a burden to me? Why not just pardon my sin and take it all away? For all so soon I’ll lie down in the dust and die, and when you look for me, I shall be gone. Bildad, the Shushite, the 2nd of Jobs friends

replies to Job How long will you go on like this. Job, blowing words around like wind? Read the history books and see for we were born but yesterday and know —so little, our days here on earth are as transient as shadows. But the wisdom of the past will teach you. The experience of others will speak to you, reminding you that those who forget God have no hope. They are like rushes without any mire to grow in, or grass without water to keep it alive. Suddenly it begins to wither, even before it is cut.” Bildad argued from the standpoint of human tradition he be lieved that God did not pervert judgment and justice, and from this he concluded that all of Job's

sufferings were the result of his sin. Job replies and acknowledges the fact that a man could be justified before God, but how was something he did not know. He reasoned that if a person contended with God, that is, if God con tended with a man, charging him with a thousand sins he could not answer for one sin in a thousand. The meaning is that man could not answer the charges of God at all Man's sins are many and are counted by the thousands, they grow more numerous as the years come and go, and they be come an overwhelming weight on the soul to sink it into the lowest sheol. By his continual sinning man only stores up more wrath against the day of wrath

and righteous judgment of God. Sin must be blotted out, removed, and cleansed completely through faith in the blood of The Redeemer. Jesus said at his last supper, "For this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Math. 26:28) And then a man is justified in the sight of God as though he had never sinned. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 5:11 In his former days, before this dreadful test, Job, himself had known God and

stood justified before Him. God in(l:U had called Job perfect, upright fearing God and a man who shunned evil. But after experiencing many days of his trial, the darkness over whelmed him and he be came doubtful of ever being justified. Job wishes that he had never been born, or had died in the womb, or had not been conceived. He asks God for a little comfort before Ire leaves for the land of dark ness and the shadow of death, never to return A land as dark as midnight Such was Job's despair