Trusting God for He knows best
After the Lord had finished speaking to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “I am angry with you and your two friends, for you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. Now take seven bulls and seven rams, go to my servant Job, and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. Then my servant Job will pray for you. I will surely accept his prayer and not deal with you as your folly deserves. For you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.” Then Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the Lord had told them, and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer. After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and doubled his previous possessions. Job 42:7-10
When you go through trials in life and you seek out counsel from others, it will be important that you will get sound godly advice. From the text, God expressed His anger to the three men that provided Job wrong counsel. They provided Job wrong assessment as to why he was going through trials in life and they misled him by providing wrong doctrines about God. They did this with the assumption that they have solid grasp of the knowledge of God. They became so presumptuous that since they have religious piety, Job should listen to them. They told Job that he was suffering because God was punishing him for his sinful life. This led Job to look down to himself and started to believe what these three men had told him. “O God, you have ground me down and devastated my family. As if to prove I have sinned, you’ve reduced me to skin and bones. My gaunt flesh testifies against me. God hates me and angrily tears me apart. He snaps his teeth at me and pierces me with his eyes” (Job 16:7-9). Job was driven to despair and discouragement in his spirit (17:1). Remember this; Satan will use people that will tout their religious piety and orthodoxy to deceive others into believing incorrect teachings about God and His word. If you are sought to provide advice to a person going through trials in life, it will be helpful if you have a strong grasp of God’s word so you will not cause confusion or provide a wrong counsel. The three that gave counsel was rebuked by God for their inflexibility. They had a fixed belief that God rewards a righteous life and suffering is a result of sinful life. Yet, God referred to Job as His “servant” and his sufferings were not a result of sinful living. Then God instructed Job to pray for these men in spite of what they did to him. The prayer offered resulted to spiritual revival to these three men. When Job obeyed God to pray for his accusers, God restored him as well. When going through trials in life, trust God and stand firm in His Word.
Blessings,
Noel De Guzman
www.my-wbc.com
