God Speaks
Job: It Seems the Wicked and the Righteous Are Treated the Same By God.
Verse of the Day: [Eliphaz was right when he said,] “Submit to God and be at peace with Him; in this way prosperity will come to you. Accept instruction from His mouth and lay up His words in Your heart. If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored: If you remove wickedness from your tent . . . then the Almighty will be your gold, the choicest silver for you.” (Job 22:21-25 NIV)
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Watch TBR Day 009: Job 21-23
We Respond
Reflection: Consider the following questions regarding Job 21-23:
1. What does this chapter tell me about God?
2. What does this chapter tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
Job 21
1. It is a wrong and wicked view of God that people can just ignore or dismiss Him and His ways, or think, “What good is it to pray?”
2. Job observed that while the wicked seem to prosper and be healthy and the innocent poor suffer greatly, both die, are buried, and their bodies decay. Where is any hope or justice?
Job 22
1. Eliphaz was right in asserting that God is great, higher than the heavens and the stars: He is the One who fills our homes (lives) with good things, but he was wrong about Job.
2. Eliphaz was also right that people should submit to God, listen to His instructions, give up their lust for money, make the LORD their treasure and delight, and pray for God to rescue people in need. We all need to do these things.
Job 23
1. God does know where we are going and what is going on in our minds and inner being.
2. Honest people need to diligently seek God and rightly tremble at His presence.
Prayer:
3. How might I pray regarding Job 21-23?
Thank You, LORD, that I don’t have to guess what You are like or what You expect of me and my fellow human beings. You have laid it all out in the Bible. Please help me to form a more accurate view of You and develop a biblical worldview and values. It’s true that the wicked seem to prosper and be healthy and the innocent poor suffer greatly; both die, are buried and their bodies decay. Where is any hope or justice? Only in trusting You, LORD, to be continually working everything out for our ultimate good and Your glory. Every blessing and good thing I have ultimately comes from You. LORD God, You are great. You are higher than the heavens and the stars because You made them all. I submit to You; I am listening for Your instructions. Holy Spirit, help me to give up any lust for money. From here on, I make You, LORD, my treasure and delight. I humbly ask You, God, to rescue people in need, whoever and wherever they are. God, You do know where we are going and what is going on in our minds and inner being. Help us to be honest people who diligently seek You and rightly tremble at Your presence. Then we will be bringing You glory, LORD. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Job 21-23? With the help of God’s Holy Spirit:
- I will follow The Bible Recap podcast in the rest of this year so that I can get an accurate and correct view of God.
- I will ask the Holy Spirit to help me in practical ways to submit to God, listen to His instructions, give up any lust for money, make the LORD my treasure and delight, and pray for God to rescue people in need.
- I will stand up for someone who is being falsely accused of wrongdoing.
- I will not accept claims for or against someone (especially in politics) unless concrete proof is verified by at least two separate, unrelated sources.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.