This lesson overlaps two chapters (Job 29:21–30:19). Was the change so abrupt that a division was inserted? At the end of Job 29, Job is still recalling the days when he was sought out for his wise counsel. “Men listened to me and waited, and kept silence for my counsel. After my words they did not […]
Everything can change in the blink of an eye. Except this: “I am the Lord, I do not change” (Mal 3:6). As Job recollects his life before tragedy struck, he can remember the words that ran through his mind when he finally had made it to the top. “Then I said, ‘I shall die in my nest, and […]
Dr Mackay found it just as impossible to get rid of the Bible his mother gave him as an aborigine throwing away an old boomerang. […]
Every one of God’s creatures should be valued, but if they want respect, that needs to be earned. Everyone wants to be taken seriously. Job’s friends—although they decided to intervene in his tragic situation, traveled some distance to be with him, and stayed for a considerable period of time—have hardly taken seriously anything he said. […]
The danger of always dwelling on the past is that I might miss the possibilities of the present. It’s a common response, when the present seems unbearable, to try to escape into the past. There are local churches still run by elders long dead and buried. “Brother So-and-so wouldn’t like that,” they say. Or, “That […]
If divine wisdom arranged the path of water drops and lightning bolts, would it not include your path, too? In Job 28:20-28, Job repeats the question he asked in verse 12. Where, oh where, is wisdom to be found? Obviously he isn’t interested in an advanced degree in some esoteric field of study. The wisdom […]
No pressure, no diamonds. No digging, no gold. No challenges, no wisdom. It’s as obvious as that. We’ve been reminded by Job that earth’s treasures must go through a process to become valuable to us. First, they must be sought for and discovered. Then, through grueling effort, they must be brought to the surface from […]
The book of Job is included in that section of the Bible titled “Wisdom Literature” for a reason. Wisdom Literature closes the door on the grand narrative of the rise and fall of kingdoms, the unfolding of God’s covenant promises, and the dramatic details of the nation of Israel. Virtually none of this is mentioned […]
The poor lost world, when they hear the gospel, can join the prodigal and say, “There’s bread enough and to spare in the Father’s house, and I perish with hunger.” No need! Come home! The banquet is ready! […]