Job's opening speech to hs three fiends

 

Job 3:17-26

 

January 31,2020

 

 

 

We continue with Job’s opening speech to his three friends, picking up the discourse in verse 17, and it sounds like someone today talking about the evil people in our congress.  Those who sleep is often a metaphor for death and Job is telling us about the evil person and the righteous person.  

 

Jesus also used this metaphor for death in John 11:11-15, “After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”  His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.”   Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.   So, then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake, I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”  

In Job's state of mind, I believe he sees no future but death, all that he has is gone, and his life is pain and misery.  But it does sound as if Job is a little off in the area of the wicked in that Scripture clearly turns to Jesus' account with a Centurion and the faith he expressed about Jesus.  You will find the account in Matthew 8:10b-12, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.  I tell you many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  The sons of the kingdom are referring to the Jews and the kingdom was promised to them, but they chose darkness over the light of the world, the Son of God.  Outer darkness is a metaphor for eternal damnation and weeping and gnashing of the teeth is eternal suffering and torment.

 

But the ones in right standing with a holy God have this to look forward to; Psalm 73:25-28; and 2 Corinthians 5:1-8.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice