Zophar sounds like our Culture

 Job 20:20-29

 

“Because he knew no contentment in his belly, he will not let anything in which he delights escape him.  There was nothing left after he had eaten; therefore, his prosperity will not endure.  In the fullness of his sufficiency, he will be in distress; the hand of everyone in misery will come against him.  To fill his belly to the full, God will send his burning anger against him and rain it upon him into his body.  He will flee from an iron weapon; a bronze arrow will strike him through.  It is drawn forth and comes out of his body; the glittering point comes out of his gallbladder; terrors come upon him.   Utter darkness is laid up for his treasures; a fire not fanned will devour him; what is left in his tent will be consumed. The heavens will reveal his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him.  The possessions of his house will be carried away, dragged off in the day of God's wrath.  This is the wicked man's portion from God, the heritage decreed for him by God.”

 

Shall we not talk anymore about Zophar at this time and give thought to what is being said, does it not sound like our culture in many areas?  As a society are we in the good old USA guilty of much of these things?  Do we as people not have an appetite that is never satisfied?  People do not seem to understand the word “like” no, they love everything, they even love a god they have made in their own image, who does what they want.  Have they not missed the mark, for that is not the God of the Bible, and that god will never be able to give them life now and eternally.  I do believe that Zophar, is on point when he states verse 21. The one that chases after stuff Is like the person who chases after the wind.  King Solman gives us this insight in  Ecclesiastes 1:14, “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”

 

Now back to Zophar’s use of words, for in verses 24-25, he refers to the many weapons of God and how the arrow from the bow of bronze would go through the evil person and its point would be of steel and pierce the liver of the wicked person and when they tried to remove it their internal organs would come out, and bring about a deserved death.  In that Job had referred to God’s arrows unleashed against him, Zophar might have hinted Job was getting his judgment. 

 

My takeaway comes from Romans 12:9-21,  ^“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.   Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.   Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.   Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.  Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.   Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.   Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty but associate with the lowly.  Never be wise in your own sight.   Repay no one evil for evil but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.  If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.  Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”  To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap, burning coals on his head.”   Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.”  

The time is now for you to die to yourself, and to begin to ask Jesus to do it all through you.  As that great teacher so stated; “You can’t, He never said you could, but He can, and He promised He would.”

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice