Job's First Response

12/7/2011 8:43:55 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                                                                  Focus:  Job’s First Response

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                  Reference:  Job 40:1-5

            Message of the verses:  “1 ¶  Then the LORD said to Job, 2  "Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who reproves God answer it." 3  Then Job answered the LORD and said, 4  "Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You? I lay my hand on my mouth. 5  "Once I have spoken, and I will not answer; Even twice, and I will add nothing more.’”  (NASB)

“1 ¶  Then the LORD said to Job, 2  “Do you still want to argue with the Almighty?  You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers?’’  3  Then Job replied to the LORD, 4  “I am nothing-how could I ever find the answers?  I will cover my mouth with my hand. 5  I have said too much already.  I have nothing more to say.’’”  (NLT)

This may well be the shortest SD from the book of Job that I will do, but this is an important portion from Job because the Lord gives Job an opportunity to speak, but Job does not have much to say. 

Job has had a desire to take the Lord to court all through his speeches that he gave to his three friends.  As we look at verse two we see that God uses language that reflect Job’s desire to take God to court and argue his case:  “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who reproves God answer it.’”  We have seen in the previous two chapters that God had presented His case and now He gives Job an opportunity to present his case.  However there is no case for Job to present before God.  Job says “I am insignificant; what can I reply to You?”  In chapter 21 and verse 5 we read:  “"Look at me, and be astonished, And put your hand over your mouth.’”  We read in Job 29:9 “"The princes stopped talking And put their hands on their mouths.”  Now we see in verse 4b of the section above “I will cover my mouth with my hand.”  The reason that Job puts his hand over his mouth is because he did not want to say something that he should not say.  “"If you have played the fool and exalted yourself, or if you have planned evil, clap your hand over your mouth!”  (Proverbs 30:32)  “Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God.’”  (Romans 3:19)

Dr. Wiersbe writes “Until we are silenced before God, He can’t do for us what needs to be done.  As long as we defend ourselves and argue with God, He can’t work for us and in us to accomplish His plan through us.

“But Job was not quite broken and at the place of sincere repentance.  He was silent but not yet submissive; so God continued His address.”

Spiritual meaning for my life today:  In my opinion this section is speaking to me that I must be quiet before the Lord and allow Him to accomplish His work through me.  I have mentioned in earlier SD’s about the short study that I did from John chapter fifteen about the Vine and the branches and how that the Lord Jesus Christ is the true Vine and I am one of the branches of His.  He says in that section that the branches are to abide or remain in Him and as I do this then He will work through me.  My job is to remain or abide in Him, not to argue with Him or try and do something on my own, but just to remain in Him so that through His Holy Spirit He can produce fruit through me as I remain in Him.  I believe that before this study of Job is over we will see that Job will learn to abide in the Lord and the Lord will produce fruit through him.  I want to do the same.

My Steps of Faith for Today:

1.      "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.’”

2.      Continue to learn contentment.

12/7/2011 9:22:06 AM