Mon.’s Devo - Job’s First Friend’s Response

Read: Job 4:1-7:21; 1 Corinthians 14:18-40; Psalm 37:30-40; Proverbs 21:27 Job’s friend, Eliphaz from the south spoke after sitting with Job for seven days in silence. He that summed up Job’s situation and was ready to give his opinion of why this happened to him. Eliphaz knew that in the past, Job had strengthened so many other people when they were weak, but now that it was happening to him, he lost heart. He reminded Job that bad things done’ happen to people who live upright. He received a revelation in the middle of the night: ‘Can a mortal be innocent before God?’ His argument was that Job did something to offend God and he needed to own up to his sin. He told Job to take his case before God and he would understand. He was correcting Job because he wanted him to repent and be healed. God would rescue him if he confessed. What Eliphaz said was right, but not right about Job. Job disagreed with Eliphaz. He didn’t know of a sin he had done so he thought he had a right to complain. Job felt like God had struck him with his arrows. He was upset with his friends because they couldn’t have mercy or kind and encourage him instead of accusing him. They assumed his guilt without any proof. Job assured them he had done nothing he knew of to deserve this. In corinthians, Paul defends his right to speak in tongues all he wants to but at church he speaks their language so they can benefit from what he says. Isaiah spoke of these strange languages God would speak through in the future and now he was fulfilling that. In Church, when a person speaks in tongues the unbeliever will think it is crazy but when he hears the interpretation and it reveals his own heart, he will be amazed and repent. The way God set up church everyone brings their gifts to share with the Body. One sings a song, one teaches, another shares a revelation God gave them, One speaks in tongues and another interprets what God is saying in that strange language. It was all to be done in an orderly fashion and everyone could wait their turn to speak. Paul told the women to be quiet in church. The only time Paul spoke to the women was in the Greek churches. In their culture the woman was the head. They worshipped goddesses and women had much power. Paul had to shut them down to let the men rise up to their position but Paul never said anything to the Jewish churches about women because they needed to be brought forward not shut down. We have to remember that these were letters to these particular churches. Job needed to be read our Psalm for today. Thank you Lord that you rescue the godly and You are our fortress in times of trouble. You save all who find shelter in You. We find our help in You.