KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Saturday, January 05, 2018
Chapters: Job 4-7
Message: Where Is Our Hope?
Hello My Friend,
Today is the first day in over a week that I feel well, I thought I would start this year out roaring like a lion, but been more like a mouse. I could do like I always do, pinpoint everything I did, and draw a conclusion that I had to have done something sinful, but the truth is, sometimes there is no reason for my affliction. There is not one person on earth that does not go through some kind of affliction, and being saved does not exempt us from it either. And let me tell you, the longer the affliction the more it affects our spirit, even the strongest Christian can lose hope in things getting any better. And this is why the suicide rate is so high, people lose hope that whatever they are going through will end. But let me tell you also, God will not end a life before its time, there is always hope if we look to Jesus Christ. “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” – Romans 8:24-26.
“for we know not what we should pray for as we ought:” When we are afflicted, what is it that we pray for? An end? A solution? A resolution? Hope is having confidence that we will get through our troubles, especially if Jesus is with us, but our hope even in Him can be hindered, and even diminish all together. Remember when Satan told God that Job would curse Him if he lost everything he had, including his health? Well, Job did not. So Satan thought of something else to afflict him with that would surely bring him to curse God, and that was his spirit. If Satan could get Job’s spirits down so low he would surely curse God, and who else would he use to afflict his spirit, than his friends, those guys who were sitting there for a week, with nothing to say. Remember, Job speaks out, wondering why he was even born, ans Eliphaz is the first to respond to this outburst.
“Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking? Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees. But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled. Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways? Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.” – Job 4:1-9.
“But now it is come upon thee,” As you read through this it sounds as though Eliphaz has been watching Job for some time now, he is well known, respected, charitable, very wealthy, and as the devil pointed out, greatly blessed by God. So, here is this model man that everyone praises and or envies, not only lost everything he had, but struck with this disease. He just knew Job was not that model man he appeared to be and goes on to tell Job that he had a dream that God revealed to him why he was being judged, and it was for his hypocrisy.
“In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men, Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake. Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up: It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying, Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker? Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly: How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth? They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it.” – Job 4:13-20.
“Shall mortal man be more just than God?” Eliphaz is making the accusation that Job thinks he is just, and does no wrong, surely God is judging him because he thinks he has never done wrong. Let me tell you, there really are a lot of Christians that do think they are so righteous they never do anything wrong, and you can be sure that God does afflict those who think that way. Eliphaz goes on even further, this time giving him a little pep talk, he should be happy that God is chastening him. “Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground; Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward. I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number: Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields: To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety. Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole. He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee. Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.” – Job 5:6-11,17-19,27.
“therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:” Eliphaz is correct, and we have heard this before, the Bible tells us (remember, they did not have the Bible) that if we are chastened by God then we ought to be happy about it. Who exactly rejoices when they are being chastened? Not many of us, it is usually when we come out of it that we rejoice. Yes, God does chasten us, sometimes we deserve it, sometimes we do not, and if we are honest with ourselves, God is pretty merciful with us because we have gotten away with more things than we care to admit. However, he did say something that is not true, he claimed affliction only comes from sin, and until he comes clean He will continue to be chastened. Now, Job responds, quite discouraged.
“But Job answered and said, Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together! For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up. Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for! Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off! Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One. What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life? Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance? Or, Deliver me from the enemy’s hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?” – Job 6:1-3,8-11,22-23.
“Did I say, Bring unto me?” At this point, Job is saying, “Why did you come here? I did not ask you to come, I did not ask for help or handouts from you?” I have to admit that while I am pretty optimistic, I get bothered by unsolicited advice. I know what I was taught, and what I ought to be doing, I respect their option, but who are they to tell me otherwise. The only hope Job sees right now is death, and since his friend basically tells him to take the punishment and like it, he contemplates something, the end of life itself, we are all appointed a time to die, but does in have to end so tragically? “Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling? As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work: So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me. As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more. Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.” – Job 7:1-3,9-11.
“and wearisome nights are appointed to me.” Job is wondering why his life has to end this way, he has done nothing, but work and live his life the best he could, and feels as though he has a right to speak out without judgment. We do have a right to speak out to God about our troubles without judgment, and we are free to ask God questions, in fact, He expects it, but He also expects is to trust Him. Job continues, pointing out that his friend is the one acting like God, watching over and judging him. “Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me? When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint; Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions: So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life. What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment? I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself? And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.” – Job 7:12-15,17-18,20-21.
“that thou settest a watch over me?” We may not realize it, but we are being watched all the time, watched by God, the devil, those who want to be like us, those desperately looking for hope, and those who want to catch us doing something that might hurt our credibility. And this was what was going on with Job, they were questioning his credibility because he has been afflicted so badly. We are to never magnify, or lift up anyone to the point that they are view and perfect, otherwise, we are setting ourselves up for false judgment should we see them become afflicted. God is the only judge, and even if they did do something wrong, we must take the beam out of our own eye before we judge them about the speck in theirs. After all, we know how it feels to be falsely accused. Job could not understand what was going on or why he was being afflicted, he just wanted it to end. When we are hurting it takes every bit of strength we have to even get out of bed, and sometimes we use up all our strength just doing that. This is when our strength is not enough, when we need Jesus more than ever. Believe it or not, He gives us the strength to keep going and will show us hope through the most dire circumstances. Look to Him, and we will find that hope we need, and that hope is His grace. “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” – II Corinthians 12:8-10.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.” – Job 6:10.
Today’s Prayer: God, I know how blessed I am and how much You have done for me since I dedicated my life to Your Son, yes, I have my ups and downs as I still navigate through the life I once lived, while You work in me day by day. When I am being afflicted, I start to question my integrity, but often You are using these things to grow my faith, and keep me faithful. Lord, You are my hope, in You I see the light through all my affliction, You are my strength, give me the strength to endure pain, trusting in Your promises. When I see others afflicted, let me not falsely accuse or judge them, but be a comfort to them through their distress, let me be a guide and comfort to them, and let Your Son shine through me as His grace is sufficient enough for me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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