Monthly Archives: July 2006

Now Job turns to his own complaint. Did he do something to incite God’s wrath? He is not sure of what it might be, so he calls out to God for that answer. And what is that answer? In future chapters of Job, God will speak directly to that point, but the answer is already clear for us to see. Continue reading →

Again is repeated the argument that surely Job did something to deserve God’s wrath, and Job concedes this might even be so, but again Job returns to his central question: even if he had somehow sinned against God and deserved some kind of punishment, what could he possibly do to restore himself into the graces, of the perfect, all-powerful, all-knowing creator of the universe? Continue reading →

In the previous reading, Job’s friend Eliphaz insinuated that Job’s problems were the result in impiety, and that once he repented of that impiety and returned to a life of good works, Job’s problems would cease. In this reading, Job instead throws himself before God’s mercy. Even Job wonders if he has done something to anger God, but rather than try to find some way to please God, Job chooses to appeal to God for relief. Continue reading →

Such is human nature that we constantly assume that if bad things happen to us it must mean that God is punishing us for something we have done wrong. That was Job’s friend Eliphaz’s conclusion when he came to console Job for everything he had suffered. Surely Job was guilty of some offense against God, so Job could redeem himself by simply acknowledging his sin, confessing to God, and trying that much harder to lead a pious life. Continue reading →