Job 5:17. “Behold, happy is the man God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.”
GOD’S CORRECTION. There are times when we really don’t know what is wrong, And by His hand God guides us with some needed pressure. The ultimate purpose is to make the weak one strong – That from His child God will get more pleasure. Such a principle work in everyday life – Our own children need our guidance. It isn’t that they have failed, but to preserve them from strife, We seek to give them the benefit of our experience.
There have been some times, and may be some times yet, When I have stepped out of the path of God’s own choosing. There are criteria for blessing which I have not met, And the results of such acts are not amusing.
But God does want me to change some behavior, That may adversely affect both me and others. So, He corrects me in a way that reminds me that my Savior Is the One represented by me, my sisters and brothers.
I do not have the right when my Christian friends suffer To try and find out some wrong they may have done. To even surmise God’s dealing with them is for something undercover Is out of line of me to think it of anyone. I may learn some lessons as I watch the ways God uses To bring blessings out of what to me was sad. There have been some special times when there have been some bruises, But the end result was to ultimately make them glad.
Lest I wrongly hasten to think events are to chasten – I should stop and consider God’s correction. It may be just what is needed for a loving God to grace them With assurance they are part of God’s election. And when it comes to me, it is wise for me to stop and see If there is some reason for the hand of God to be felt. When I have come to the conclusion that God still works on me, Then I am reminded that in me the Spirit of God dwells.
“Father, please keep me from ever despising Thy chastening. May I never be found complaining because of Thy correction. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”
Job 6 -7 THE ARROWS OF THE ALMIGHTY In many conversations, not all the comments, opinions or advice given is relevant to the topic being discussed. Nor is it always good to pay attention to it. Job's response to Eliphaz's first discourse wasn't that he was claiming to be sinless, but that Eliphaz insisted that it is only the wicked who suffer and that wickedness wasn't the bent of his life. He had no idea as to why he was suffering. To him in this second discourse the question seemed to be, why did such extraordinary sufferings come on him when as far as he could see, he had not committed extraordinary sins.
He first speaks to his friends who he had thought were there to help him get through the terrible trial of suffering rather than aggravate his suffering by accusing him of secret sins. In the first verses of the chapter, he justifies his right to complain and reproves them for being without pity, and then he grieves over their treachery toward him. His mourning is like that of a wounded animal that has been struck by arrows but has not died. Animals do not make sounds of complaint or pain unless there is a serious reason. His complaint is because of the terrible losses and the pain of his body, soul and spirit for which he cannot conceive of a reason for which it has happened to him. He wouldn't be crying if nothing was hurting him.
Even his own life had become so abhorrent to him that it was like food that has no taste. What he wants now is to die because at least he would not die the death of the ungodly. He has hit the bottom and even there has found no help. He has no longer any reason for living. He had lost everything of value and even his wife had said, "Curse God and die." As far as he was concerned his future in the world was hopeless no matter what Eliphaz had said. To him it would be his greatest comfort if God would simply crush him to death. His life was unbearable and all of Eliphaz's challenge to suffer like a man under the discipline of God for his inherent wickedness was so much nonsense.
In the last part of chapter six he charges his "brothers" with being like a brook of water that freezes and is too cold to help, and then when it thaws, is becomes a flood that overflows its banks doing damage rather than helping. Then when the water is really needed, it dries up. They had a lot to say, but when the need was there, they were no help at all, giving him nothing of benefit. His contention was that their reason for being without and pity for him, is for fear that the same thing would happen to them.
To trust God in the good times in life is certainly to be commended, but to trust Him when all one had and hoped for is gone is a test of our faith. How far does our trust in the Lord really go? Difficulties and loss do test our limits of confidence in God. In effect Job had said to his friends, "Did I ask you to come and bring me something? Was I asking for you to pay a ransom for me? Did I ask you to deliver me from some enemy or rescue me?" The answer was no to all the questions. All he wanted from them was some real personal concern, comfort and understanding, and all he got was criticism.
He indicated to them, "If you have something to teach me, then than teach me. I'm teachable. I will listen." He wants them to be his teachers not prosecution lawyers looking for sins for which to convict him. He does not deny that he has sinned because he is a man, and humans do sin. But he does deny that he has deliberately, consciously sinned against God as they were accusing him.