I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Job 29-33.

    In his final protestation of innocence Job lists the most heinous sins he can think of, while stating that he is not guilty of them:

• he did not lust after a woman not his wife
• he did not lie or deceive
• he did not lust after his neighbor’s wife
• he was not unfair to his servants
• he did not refuse to help the poor, the widow, or the orphan
• he did not oppress the powerless
• he was not greedy, he did not worship money
• he did not worship the sun, the moon, or the starts
• he did not rejoice when disaster struck his enemies

The thing that struck me about that list is that the only sexual sin which makes the list is lust, but Job felt the need to mention it twice. The only other sin mentioned with similar emphasis is failure to aid widows and orphans. Although the latter is only mentioned once, Job goes on longer and in more detail than on any of the other sins. It is also worth noting that the other sins are active sins. It is the failure to act which is the sin here (the failure to aid the poor, widows, or orphans).

    I am hesitant to take much in the way of lessons on proper behavior from Job’s friends. However, Elihu makes a point which I think is worth noting. God speaks to people again and again. When we say that God is silent, it means that we are not listening. God is constantly speaking to us and giving us direction. One of the most common reasons that we do not hear God is because we do not like what He is telling us. If we want to hear God’s voice we must overcome our reluctance to follow His instructions and our fear of where He will send us.