Job 4-6

“In my experience..” 

I’m sure we’ve all said these three words before. Such a term of limitation. Globally, the average human lives about 72 years. In relation to the lifespan of Noah, who we just discussed last week, that’s miniscule! Now compare that to the experience of an eternal God who is not bound by time. Our decades of experience amount to almost nothing. 

It is for this reason that I am grateful that we don’t have to rely on our own experiences or the experiences of our peers to shape our worldview. We have thousands of years of experiences and stories in the Bible to help us learn from their mistakes and understand how God wants us to conduct ourselves. We also have the Holy Spirit leading and guiding us. Just like Noah and Enoch, we can walk with God. 

Unfortunately, Job’s friends did not have the Bible nor did they have a close relationship with the Lord. Most of their criticism of Job comes from their viewpoint. In Job 4:8, we find the foundation of Eliphaz’s argument as he states, “In my experience…” Based on Eliphaz’s experience, he can not comprehend a blameless man being subjected to such grief like Job. His experience also includes a visit from a spirit that poses a rhetorical question of whether a person could be perfect and even makes an accusation that someone is trying to be more perfect than God (Job 3:12-17). I don’t know about you, but this sounds like satan to me. Yet, it seems like Eliphaz took this as a word from the Lord. Thus, his argument, along with Job’s other friends, encompasses the idea that Job must have done something wrong to warrant such disaster in his life. 

In reading this account over about 4000 years later, we have been made privy to a conversation between God and satan. Job’s affliction was due to a debate between spiritual beings, rather than a judgement of his actions. As we discussed last week, it was Job’s righteousness that God boasted about which led to Job being tested to demonstrate his integrity and prove satan wrong. We can also juxtapose this experience alongside other narratives such as Joseph’s imprisonment and Daniel being thrown into the lion’s den. This continues a theme of God allowing good people to endure difficult situations. God even allowed his own perfect son to be beaten and crucified. Jesus’ closest disciples were beaten and martyred. Speaking of close disciples, Peter continuously reminds us that righteous people will suffer:

“Who then will harm you if you are devoted to what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness, you are blessed.” 1 Peter 3:13-14 CSB

“Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you. Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed. If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and God rests on you.” 1 Peter 4:12-14 CSB

Peter also gives us insight to the activity of satan that we were made aware of in Job’s story: 

“Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.” 1 Peter 5:8-9 CSB

That’s just a few scriptures. The New Testament is filled with scriptures that discuss suffering as a follower of Jesus. Today, we witness an Old Testament version of this, Job suffering because of his devotion to God. 

Let’s pause and reflect on this idea of righteous suffering.

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