Castigation In the Midst of Suffering
Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
A wise man wouldn't answer with such empty talk!
You are nothing but a windbag.
The wise don't engage in empty chatter.
What good are such words?
Have you no fear of God, no reverence for Him?
Your sins are telling your mouth what to say.
Your words are based on clever deception.
Your own mouth condemns you, not I.
Your own lips testify against you.
Were you the first person ever born?
Were you born before the hills were made?
Were you listening at God's secret council?
Do you have a monopoly on wisdom?
What do you know that we don't?
What do you understand that we do not?
Job 15:1-9
A wise man wouldn't answer with such empty talk!
You are nothing but a windbag.
The wise don't engage in empty chatter.
What good are such words?
Have you no fear of God, no reverence for Him?
Your sins are telling your mouth what to say.
Your words are based on clever deception.
Your own mouth condemns you, not I.
Your own lips testify against you.
Were you the first person ever born?
Were you born before the hills were made?
Were you listening at God's secret council?
Do you have a monopoly on wisdom?
What do you know that we don't?
What do you understand that we do not?
Job 15:1-9
Out of his pain, Job questioned the reason for his trials. From his own perspective, he was blameless and innocent and did not deserve to be treated so harshly by God. He was confident that he could successfully make his case to God if only he could track Him down! Out of his conviction of having lived a blameless life, he poured out his heart in his own defense.
But his friends were not so sure of Job's innocence. In fact, they were confident that Job's suffering was due to his secret sins. Job was therefore suffering rightly. He had no justifiable claim against God. Job was "nothing but a windbag" whose lack of wisdom was portrayed by his "empty chatter." They accused Job of having no fear of God and using clever words of deception to mask his sins and guilt.
Question: How would it feel to be wrongly judged and castigated by friends who do not truly know the facts of your situation? How would it feel to be condemned as deserving of your unfortunate plight when you are truly innocent from the assumed sins?
The truth is: There are times in life when people might judge and condemn us based upon assumptions and hearsays. There are times in life when some of the closest people around us might pierce our hearts with words of accusation that have no factual basis. People do that because they do not really know our hearts.
In such situations, it is unwise to mount a defense with words. The wisest thing to do is to trust God to defend and vindicate you. God has the last word against unjust accusers. Job was yet to find out, but you and I are already privy to that knowledge because of Job's experience.
So, when others castigate and blame you in the midst of your suffering, turn it all over to God.
But his friends were not so sure of Job's innocence. In fact, they were confident that Job's suffering was due to his secret sins. Job was therefore suffering rightly. He had no justifiable claim against God. Job was "nothing but a windbag" whose lack of wisdom was portrayed by his "empty chatter." They accused Job of having no fear of God and using clever words of deception to mask his sins and guilt.
Question: How would it feel to be wrongly judged and castigated by friends who do not truly know the facts of your situation? How would it feel to be condemned as deserving of your unfortunate plight when you are truly innocent from the assumed sins?
The truth is: There are times in life when people might judge and condemn us based upon assumptions and hearsays. There are times in life when some of the closest people around us might pierce our hearts with words of accusation that have no factual basis. People do that because they do not really know our hearts.
In such situations, it is unwise to mount a defense with words. The wisest thing to do is to trust God to defend and vindicate you. God has the last word against unjust accusers. Job was yet to find out, but you and I are already privy to that knowledge because of Job's experience.
So, when others castigate and blame you in the midst of your suffering, turn it all over to God.
Prayer: Father, please help me to remember that you are loving and righteous. Please help me to depend on you when I am misunderstood and castigated in spite of being innocent. Thank you, Father, in Jesus' Name. Amen