I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading. I had been using One Year Bible Online, but it was time for a change.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Job 11-15.

    Zophar also accuses Job of being a sinner, solely on the basis of the fact that Job is suffering. Zophar’s logic is as follows: Job is suffering, therefore he must have sinned. As a matter of fact, as bad as Job is suffering, he probably deserves even worse. This is faulty logic. While it is true that actions have consequences and that what we are experiencing is usually a consequence of actions we have taken, not everyone who is suffering is doing so as a result of them doing wrong. Sometimes people suffer for doing right and sometimes people suffer for no reason that we can discern.

    Job’s response starts out somewhat sarcastic, commending them for their great wisdom and advice, when in fact they have told him nothing that is not well known and given him no advice upon which he can act. All they have told him is, “Confess your sins, whatever they are.” Yet when Job tells them that he does not know any sins he has committed all they can tell him is that he must have committed some sins, otherwise he would not be suffering. Job goes on to say that he knows that his suffering comes from the hand of God. He wants to make his case before God so that he can find out what sin he might have committed and amend his ways. If his friends can tell him what he has done wrong, he will gladly amend his ways, but if they cannot they should remain silent.

    I was going over this and writing my thoughts as I read when I came to Chapter 14 verse 14 (and following). There Job asks a question, “Can the dead live again?” He then explores what it would mean if the answer is “Yes”. If the answer is “yes” (and it is indeed “yes”), then we can have hope in the suffering we experience in this life and we can eagerly await the release of death. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians that if there is no resurrection of the dead, the entire Christian message is based on a lie. There is indeed a resurrection of the dead and therefore the things which Job says here are true. We are God’s handiwork and He yearns for us. God has offered to seal our sins away from us and cover them over with the blood of Jesus. He has called to us and all we need to do is answer. Then He will guard our steps for God has no desire to watch for our sins.