Job 14:1-22

Job continues his speech and simply opens his heart and says exactly what he is feeling and thinking to the Lord.  His misery has become so great that he can no longer contain his thoughts.  It is easy to pick apart Job’s words and to examine his theology as well as his anthropology and find fault.  However, my children are all living and I enjoy very good health.  I am not saying that difficult circumstances exempt us from error, what I am saying is that I don’t think I am qualified to be critical of Job in these circumstances.  What we must all realize is that we are all very susceptible to these same wrong beliefs.  Our hearts are made of the same stuff and we are very likely to allow these same errors to creep into our thinking in the face of suffering.  We would do well to guard our hearts from these thoughts.

WE MUST PROTECT OUR HEARTS FROM HOPELESSNESS: Job has become hopeless because of the intense suffering he has faced.  We must remember that Job did not benefit from the writings of the New Testament, so his understanding of Scripture, his access to Scripture was very limited.  He wants to die and his understanding of death is that he will be able to just disappear.  It is clear that his understanding of the resurrection is not accurate, which if we think about it would add even more to his hopelessness.  No matter what Job understood or failed to understand, we do have clear teaching on this subject so we must faithfully remind ourselves of the hope that we have in Christ when we face sufferings.  No matter what happens in this life or on this planet, we have eternal hope.


WE MUST PROTECT OUR HEARTS FROM BITERNESS: Job’s words also demonstrate a great deal of bitterness in his heart.  This bitterness is clearly directed towards God.  In previous chapters he seems to direct his bitterness towards his counselors; but in this chapter he is speaking to God.  He wants answers that he is not getting and he considers the events of his life to be completely unfair.  What he most wants is for God to simply leave him alone.  He sees that God is the one who has afflicted him and he just wants it to stop.  Whether or not Job is justified in his accusations; we must remember to guard our hearts from such thinking.  God is not to blame for sin and its consequences.  He has forgiven us and given us redemption through our faith in Christ.  No matter how difficult our circumstances may become; we must protect our hearts from bitterness by being thankful.

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