Sat.’s Devo - Man’s Opinions of God

Read: Job 8:1-11:20; 1 Corinthians 15:1-28; Psalm38:2-33; Proverbs 21:28-29 Bildad spoke up and called Job a “blistering wind” because he said Job accused God of being unjust. He surmised that if Job didn’t do anything to deserve this, maybe his children did. But according to him, all Job needs to do is pray and get back in God’s favor and everything will be returned to him. He thinks Job has forgotten God and needs to return to him. *** Job goes back to Eliphaz’s question of “can man ever be innocent before God.” He feels totally incompetent and unequal to stand before God and argue his case. He thinks the cards are stacked against him and becomes cynical. How can a man stand before the All Mighty, creator of everything? He wishes there was a mediator between him and God - someone not so intimidating and more on his level. *** God did answer this cry many centuries later through Jesus, our Mediator. *** Job gives God all the responsibility for his sad estate. He accuses God of being a hard judge who was waiting for him to mess up. He doesn’t see God as being a loving Father, but an angry god. *** Zophar gives his opinion. He accused Job of thinking he could talk his way out of his problems. In his opinion, Job was mocking God and he tries to explain that God is not that simple and if God was being honest, Job probably deserved more than what he got. He sees God as being unreachable and beyond human understanding. He suggests that Job needs to repent of his sins and be restored to his right mind. *** In Corinthians, Paul has his own battle with man’s wrong understanding about God’s plan. Their misunderstanding had to do with resurrection. No one had ever been raised from the dead until Christ. He was the first to receive eternal life. Paul and many others had been eye-witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus was the first fruit to rise from the dead and he did it on “First Fruits”. *** Jesus, through us, will destroy every ruler, authority, and power then he will turn the Kingdom over to God. Jesus will reign until this is done. The last enemy he will defeat will be death because everything will be put under his authority and he is life. *** Lord, we look forward to that day. May we be living in that day where death is defeated and everything is put under Christ’s feet.