Friday, June 27

Job 8 - 10

A second friend to Job, Bildad, speaks. He reminds Job that God is just and right in His doings. He correctly states that if Job's sons had sinned, they would be punished; and that for Job to deny God's punishment of sin was incorrect. It would be unnatural for God to act differently toward sin. Those who expected Him to do so would be greatly disappointed. In fact, God would bless those who were blameless.

Job responds with a hearty "You're right!" He goes on to ask how a man can stand rightly before God, since He is so other - so out of reach for man's ability. Because of this, Job feels he has no where to take his case. The words he would use to present his situation would be inadequate before such a perfect God. Job is confused how to reconcile the disaster he has experienced with his comprehension of a right standing before God. One of the two does not make sense. Job begins to ask God for answers. He wants to know why he - one who is NOT wicked - is being treated the same way the wicked are treated. Why would God seek to destroy something He blessed as good? In all this, Job maintains that he has done nothing wrong to merit God's treatment. (Incidentally, we know Job is right in this statement; but his friends do not - nor would we unless we had read the opening chapters).

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