Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft ∙

Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft∙

Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness is as bad as worshiping idols. – 1 Samuel 15:23

Psalms 78:7-8

 7 So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands.

 8 Then they will not be like their ancestors – stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God.

Jeremiah 7:24-26

 24 But my people would not listen to me. They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward.

 25 From the day your ancestors left Egypt until now, I have continued to send my servants, the prophets – all day in and day out.

 26 But my people have not listened to me or even tried to hear. They have been stubborn and sinful – even worse than their ancestors.

“Those who never retract their opinions love themselves more than they love truth” (Joseph Joubert).

“I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday” (Abraham Lincoln).

“To argue with a man who has renounced the use and authority of reason, and whose philosophy consists in holding humanity in contempt, is like administering medicine to the dead, or endeavoring to convert an atheist by scripture” (Thomas Paine).

“Pettiness of mind, ignorance and presumption are the cause of stubbornness, because stubborn people only want to believe what they themselves can imagine, and they can imagine very few things” (Madeleine de Souvre).

Stubbornness carries two diametrically opposed connotations: on one side, it signifies arrogance or defiance, and on the other, it represents determination or perseverance. The Father abhors stubbornness when it manifests as arrogance or defiance. The Scriptures are filled with His strong condemnations of such rebellious stubbornness.

1 Samuel 15:23 Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness is as bad as worshiping idols.

The Hebrew word translated as stubborn is patsar. Patsar has the sense of being unmanageable. The verb means to push, urge, be insolent, pushy, arrogant, or presumptuous. In modern English, an expression that captures the sense of this word is “push back.”

“Our heavenly Father places a high value on obedience, preferring it even to outward expressions of worship. In fact, our obedience is the ultimate expression of worship and service” (Stanley). “The Torah integrated sacrifice into the life of obedience to God; however, it never envisioned it as a substitute for obedience” (Bergen).

1 Samuel 15:22 Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offerings.

Why are obedience and submission held in high esteem, while rebelliousness and stubbornness are strongly criticized and denounced? “To know God’s will and deliberately disobey it is to put ourselves above God and therefore become our own god. This is the vilest form of idolatry” (Wiersbe).

REFLECT & PRAY

“God blesses obedience, not stubbornness” (Stanley).

Father search out every rebellious, stubborn stronghold within my heart and empower me to bring them captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ.

INSIGHT

The story of King Saul provides insight into a haughty, independent, self-reliant, and stubborn soul. For Saul, partial obedience was equivalent to complete obedience. He replaced the Father’s plan with his own. His understanding was entirely misguided. He had it all wrong. If we aim to obey and serve the Father, it must be on His terms, not ours. The Father is the unspoken recipient of our defiance and obstinacy, the object of our rebellion and stubbornness. When we stubbornly dismiss the Father’s clear guidance, we are, in essence, rejecting His sovereignty and guidance. Ultimately, we are rejecting Him.

“What is the difference between obedience and sacrifice? Sacrifice is one aspect of obedience, but obedience involves more than just sacrifice. We should never think that we can compensate for our lack of obedience to some of God’s will by making other sacrifices for Him.”

“Suppose one Saturday morning, a father asks his teenage son to mow the lawn for him since he has to work that Saturday and cannot do it himself. Company is coming and he wants it to look good. The son decides that his dad’s car needs washing more than the grass needs cutting. Besides, the boy plans to use the car on a date that night. When the father comes home, he finds his son has not cut the grass. ‘I decided to wash your car instead,’ the boy explains. ‘Aren’t you pleased and me?’ His father replies, ‘I appreciate your washing the car, but that is not what I asked you to do. I would have preferred that you mow the lawn as I told you’” (Constable).

Is it possible to overcome stubbornness? If so, how? It requires a massive perspective transformation.

Romans 2:4-6

 4 Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?

 5 But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

 6 He will judge everyone according to what they have done.

Owing to the Father’s exceptional compassion, forbearance, and patience, we ought to renounce the sin of stubbornness. This involves making a conscious choice to nurture a resilient, adaptable, flexible, and submissive spirit. Any child of the King can do this. It’s a matter of learning and practicing the inspired word of God.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

The Father stands ready to enable each child of the King to cease doing what is wrong and equip us to do what the Father desires.

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© Dr. H 2024

The big lie ∙∙

The big lie ∙∙

For this reason, God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie. – 2 Thessalonians 2:11

2 Thessalonians 2:1-11

 1 Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him.

 2 Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us.

 3 Don’t be fooled by what they say. That day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed – the one who brings destruction.

 4 He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God.

 7 For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way.

 8 Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will kill him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming.

 9 This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles.

 10 He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them.

 11 So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies.

The concept of a “Big Lie” is a technique often associated with propaganda. Adolf Hitler, in his 1925 book Mein Kampf, first coined this term to describe a falsehood, a lie so “colossal” that no one would believe that someone “could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously” (Adolf Hitler).

If a lie is repeated often enough and with enough conviction, people will eventually accept it as truth. “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it” (Adolf Hitler).

This concept was further developed by Joseph Goebbels, who served as the Reich Minister of Propaganda for Nazi Germany. Goebbels pioneered the use of Fake News to sway public opinion to accept the lies of National Socialism, the political doctrine of the Nazi party.

Interestingly, the concept of a “big lie” can also be traced back to the beginning of human history. The original “big lie,” according to the Book of Genesis, plunged the human race into sin and brought about the Fall.

Genesis 3:1-6

 1 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day, he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”

 2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied.

 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”

 4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman.

 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”

 6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful, and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.

The devil was present in the Garden of Eden and took control of the serpent to carry out his evil intentions and tempt Eve (Ezekiel 28:13). Eve was truly innocent and unaware. The enemy took advantage of her and exploited her purity and innocence. He leveraged them and told her a big lie regarding the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He raised doubts and incited skepticism about the truthfulness of what the Father had said and His intentions. She ceased believing the truth and instead believed the enemy’s lies.

Two things happened simultaneously. She rejected the Father’s Truth. She embraced a false narrative spun by the devil. This is the pattern that has continued down to this day. As a result, the human race was plunged into sin.

REFLECT & PRAY

1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.

Father enable me to embrace the truth and become less and less susceptible to lies, deception, and delusion. Give me wisdom and discernment.

INSIGHT

The end of the age will be characterized by a pervasive spirit of rebellion and defiance against the Truth and those who embrace it. Many lies will be disseminated, and people will choose to believe them. This comes to a culmination when the vast majority of the deluded human race, the children of darkness, embrace “the Lie,” as stated in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-11.

The Scriptures are quite clear that people are under the influence of evil spiritual forces. They have been present and manipulating people since the beginning. The apostle John provides a simple test to know whether a spirit is from the Father or not.

1 John 4:3 Every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.

We are encouraged to test the spirits we come into contact with to determine whether they are from the dark side or from the kingdom of light.

1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

The influx of false teachers, false prophets, and false messengers is one of the signs that we are at the end of the age (Matthew 24:3-26).

1 John 2:18 Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrists have appeared. From this, we know that the last hour has come.

Lies of all sorts are being widely disseminated. People choose to believe the lies rather than the truth because they are not children of the light. There is a shocking, if not terrifying, cause-and-effect relationship between choosing deception and becoming deceived. When people reject the truth, they become more susceptible to lies. When people embrace the truth, they become less vulnerable to lies. Regrettably, the Father not only allows the dissemination of false information, as a form of judgment, but He sends a deluding influence as well. They sow the wind, and so they will reap the whirlwind (Hosea 8:7)!

2 Thessalonians 2:11 Consequently, God sends on them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false.

“Paul pictures a growing rebellion against God, the emergence of one who was the devil incarnate as Christ had been God incarnate, a final struggle and the ultimate triumph of God” (Barclay).

As rebellion and deception increase, so does delusion. People think they are doing what is right when they are entirely incorrect.

“‘Delusion’ is stronger than deception. Deception means that a person can be fooled about something. Delusion is a way of life in which one is perpetually deceived. People under delusion harden their hearts permanently” (Richardson).

1 Thessalonians 5:3 While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.

All of humanity is entrapped by delusion and spiritual death. Each child of the King has been snatched out of the kingdom of darkness and brought into the kingdom of light. Now, we are to walk in the light.

Ephesians 2:1-5

 1 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.

 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil– the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.

 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature, we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

 4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,

 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

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© Dr. H 2024

What can you expect from dirt? ∙∙

What can you expect from dirt? ∙∙

For you are dust, and to dust you shall return. – Genesis 3:19

All flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust. – Job 34:15

Psalms 103:13-22

 13 The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.

 14 For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust.

 15 Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die.

 16 The wind blows, and we are gone – as though we had never been here.

 17 But the love of the LORD remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children.

 19 The LORD has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything.

 20 Praise the LORD, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands.

 21 Yes, praise the LORD, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will!

 22 Praise the LORD, everything he has created, everything in all his kingdom. Let all that I am praise the LORD.

The term “Teflon President” was coined by Rep. Pat Schroeder, a Colorado Democrat, in 1983 to describe President Ronald Reagan. The idea for the phrase struck Schroeder as she was cooking eggs on a Teflon non-stick pan. Regardless of the controversies that plagued his administration, nothing stuck to him personally. Reagan appeared to possess an uncanny knack for avoiding blame, much like a Teflon-coated frying pan prevents foods from sticking to it. His affable, ever-smiling demeanor and persona projected a “grandpa” image.

Even when faced with significant controversies such as the Iran-Contra scandal, Reagan’s popularity with the public did not waver. They continued to forgive and adore him.

This mirrors our relationship with our Heavenly Father. No matter our shortcomings, the Father’s love and forgiveness for the children of the King are unwavering. It’s as if we’re enveloped in a Teflon coating; our sins, trespasses, and wrongdoings don’t stick to us. They simply slide off and are gone. We are washed clean, whiter than snow.

Psalm 103 is a song of praise and thanksgiving. It celebrates the Father’s overflowing goodness and love of the Father towards His children. It invites thanksgiving. It celebrates the Father’s overflowing goodness and love (Psalms 103:1-2).

REFLECT & PRAY

How does a father show compassion towards his children? He compassionately takes into account their immaturity, weakness, and limited knowledge. He does not require of them more than they can handle. Our Heavenly Father does the same with us (1 Corinthians 10:13) (Stanley).

Dear Father, thank You for adopting me into Your Forever Family just as I am. You are great and magnificent, while I am nothing more than living dirt. I stand in awe and am truly amazed.

INSIGHT

Before you get down on yourself, what can you possibly expect from dirt? We are made out of the dust, the dirt of the Earth. Dust is tiny fragments of other things that have disintegrated and become worthless.

Genesis 2:7 Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.

The Hebrew word for dust or dirt is ‘aphar. ‘Aphar is dirt, plain old dirt, that is, dry, loose earth. The Scriptures are clear: we are simply repurposed dirt.

The only thing that separates us from all the other plain, ordinary dirt on planet Earth is that we are alive. Dirt minus God is inert, inanimate, and lifeless. As living dirt, we tend to get rather dirty. That is precisely what the Father expects. He is not disappointed when we act like dirt because He knows we are dirt. The most significant distinction between us and all other dirt is that we are His dirt. And He loves us just the way we are.

Psalms 103:14 For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust.

A father is aware of the vulnerability and dependence of his children, and thus, he shows them compassion, particularly when it’s most required. When we demonstrate how pitiful we are, He graciously has pity on us. The Father, as creator, formed us and knows we are merely dust (Psalms 78:39). Despite how insignificant humanity must appear to God, how trivial. Yet he crowns us with love and mercy (Psalms 103:4b)! (Tesh and Zorn).

Psalms 103:15

 15 Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die.

 16 The wind blows, and we are gone – as though we had never been here.

 17 But the love of the LORD remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children

Psalms 78:39 He remembered that they were made of flesh, and were like a wind that blows past and does not return.

Not only are people seemingly as trivial as dirt, but our time on earth is short and transitory. There is no permanence to our existence here. We are as grass or the flower that dries up in the sun’s heat and vanishes before nightfall.

In contrast, the Father is eternal and remains forever. His love envelops the children of the King forever.

David focuses on four excellent characteristics of the Father. He is compassionate. He does not constantly accuse, criticize, or antagonize us even though we sin repeatedly. He is slow to anger, and His anger soon dissipates. He is merciful and gracious. He does not punish us for our sins immediately. He does not chastise us as we deserve. He does not seek revenge and get even. His lovingkindness is limitless. The guilt of our sins is separated from us completely and permanently (Constable).

Psalms 103:17 But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting.

The Hebrew term hesed is often translated as lovingkindness or steadfast love. Hesed is a complex word with layered nuances of meaning that are not easily captured into a single English term. It encapsulates kindness, mercy, loyalty, lovingkindness, reliability, faithfulness, and steadfast love.  A fitting translation that fully embodies its essence is loyal love.

Hesed is a profoundly compelling term from the Old Testament used to depict the Father’s love for the children of the King. Characteristic of the Father’s affection, hesed denotes a promise, a love steeped in a relationship, a profound love that knows no bounds, a love that remains constant irrespective of circumstances or reciprocation (Waltner).

Compared to our paltry existence and sinful behavior, rather than wallowing in self-pity, we should focus on the superior excellence and splendor of the Father who loves and forgives us. David encourages every child of the King to adopt this perspective. Our extraordinary heavenly Father deserves our praise and should be served with honor and reverence.

How could we do less?

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© Dr. H 2024

Do you feel bad about yourself? ∙∙

Do you feel bad about yourself? ∙∙

No one does good, not a single one. – Romans 3:12 

Romans 3:23-25 

 23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

 24 Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.

 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.

“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark” (Michelangelo).

We often find ourselves wondering what other people think about us. We are naturally afraid that we will not measure up to some real or imagined standards of others.

Do you feel bad about yourself? The Father has a simple solution for this. Instead of comparing ourselves to the standards set by others, or even our own, we should align ourselves with His. When we recognize how far short we fall, we feel far worse with an even more profound sense of inadequacy!

There’s a significant difference between feeling somewhat bad about oneself and feeling absolutely bad about oneself. When you feel relatively bad, there’s room for self-improvement and enhancement of your condition. But when you feel terrible about yourself, then there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. This lays the foundation for a triumphal resolution.

Paul pushes the boundary and logically takes us to a grim conclusion. Paul does not say that we were merely sinful, depraved, or sick before we became children of the King. Instead, he says that we were dead.

Ephesians 2:1 You were dead in your trespasses and sins.

When we evaluate ourselves against the Father’s standards, we fall short. We are inadequate. There’s no ambiguity about where we stand. We see reality for what it is. We accept and confess that we are dismal failures. We stand condemned. There is nothing we can do to improve our condition.

As condemned individuals, we desperately need the Father’s love, mercy, and grace. Paul reminds us we were not on a friendly basis and making vast improvements when the Father intervened. Instead, we were the Father’s enemies and thoroughly alienated from Him. In response to our dismal condition, He sent the Lord Jesus Christ to die for us. He intervened to resolve the worst part of our darkened and human condition. The death of the Lord Jesus Christ brought about reconciliation. He removed the barriers between us and the Father.

Romans 5:10 While we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son.

The Father provided a significant paradigm shift for all of His children. We stood helpless, completely, and totally in the wrong and condemned. He unilaterally declared us to be righteous. And so we are! We are now enveloped in the righteousness of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:21 for God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Romans 3:24 God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.

Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

REFLECT & PRAY

You don’t drown by falling into water. You only drown if you stay there (Zig Ziglar).

Father thank You for lifting me out of the miry pit and placing me on solid ground.

INSIGHT

Imagine you are walking in rather swampy woods. Suddenly, you find yourself a couple of steps into quicksand and rapidly sink up to your neck. First, you must find a way out of the terrifying and deadly mess you find yourself in. Second, you have to get cleaned up. All the muck and mire covering you from the neck down has to be removed.

That is precisely what the Father has done! He has freed us from the miry pit, the ugly mess we made of our lives. Then He made us thoroughly clean as if it had never happened. We are no longer sullied. All the stains and blemishes have been wiped away.

In a way, we faced trial and were declared guilty. We stood condemned. But the Father did something extraordinary. We have been given a brand-new legal standing. Through faith in Christ, we have been justified and declared righteous by the Father, once and for all. The result is that the children of the King no longer live under the fear of judgment or the wrath of God. Remarkably, we have peace with God. This peace is not merely a subjective feeling but an objective reality (ESV notes).

While the enemy focuses on the old mess we used to be and rubs our noses in it, the Father concentrates on our redemption and cleansed lives. He provides affirmation and encouragement to every child of the King.

This provides us with an unexpected yet delightful opportunity. We can either continue to dwell on and remember the dark failures of our past, or we can focus on the pure, righteous redemption He has wrought.

Darkness or light, death or life, condemnation or acceptance – the choice is ours.

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© Dr. H 2024

Does God need our help? ∙

Does God need our help? ∙

I said to the LORD, “You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from you.” – Psalms 16:2

Job 22:2-3

 2 Can a person do anything to help God? Can even a wise person be helpful to him?

 3 Is it any advantage to the Almighty if you are righteous? Would it be any gain to him if you were perfect?

“Cars 2,” a 2011 American animated film, was created by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. This movie is the sequel to the 2006 computer-animated sports comedy, “Cars.” It raked in $562 million globally at the box office, making it the tenth highest-grossing film of 2011.

The film beautifully captures the imagination and actions of children when they play, with sounds like vroom-vroom, boom, screech, crash, and so on. In this story, race car Lightning McQueen and tow truck Mater are pit buddies racing in the World Grand Prix across Japan, Italy, and other European countries.

However, due to Mater’s mistake, Lightning McQueen loses a big race. When McQueen returns to his pit, he is furious with Mater. Mater is very apologetic. Mater wants to help McQueen make it right. McQueen rejects his help, exclaiming, “I don’t need your help! I don’t want your help!”

Is that the way that the Father thinks about us? Contrary to McQueen’s reaction, God never rejects our attempts to aid Him. Yet, it begs the question:  Do we believe we can assist God? Do we think our plans are superior to His? Do we genuinely believe that the all-knowing, eternal God makes mistakes?

Take Job’s story, for instance.

Job’s friend Eliphaz accuses him of indulging in sinful, self-righteous pride. For Eliphaz, the only logical reason for Job’s suffering is his alleged sinful behavior. Eliphaz rebukes Job, stating, “Is it because you’re so pious that he accuses you and brings judgment against you? No, it’s because of your wickedness! There’s no limit to your sins” (Job 22:4-5).

Based on his assumptions, Eliphaz randomly selects sins to accuse Job of committing. It highlights how easy it is to jump to totally false conclusions when we start with inaccurate assumptions.

However, God sets the record straight. He affirms Job’s character.

Job 1:8 “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man on the earth. He is blameless – a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.”

Does Job believe that his righteousness benefits God in any way or needs his help? Eliphaz accuses Job of such beliefs.

In Job 22:2-3, Eliphaz asks,

 2 Can a person do anything to help God? Can even a wise person be helpful to him?

 3 Is it any advantage to the Almighty if you are righteous?

Recall that at this point in the story. Job has no idea why terrible things are occurring. He hasn’t read the first chapter of his book yet, which provides a backstory explaining the reasons behind his trials.

Satan challenges the Father God. He asserts that people are loyal and devoted to Him only because the Father treats them so well. Satan suggests that if God were to stop His blessings, people would abandon Him.

Job 1:11 But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!

It wasn’t Job’s sin that set these events in motion. It was a false accusation of Satan. The Father knew the fiber of His servant Job. The Father was confident that Job could withstand and overcome anything Satan might throw at him within the limits God had set. The book of Job ultimately serves to vindicate Job’s character and demonstrate God’s unwavering faith and trust in him.

REFLECT & PRAY

Many people have an unfortunate, warped view of God. Rather than seeing the Father as a gentle, caring protector and shepherd, they see Him as a harsh, vindictive, villainous tormentor. So sad!

Father, thank You for being neither petty nor vindictive. Thank You for taking pleasure in those who walk with You.

INSIGHT

Eliphaz has a warped understanding of the Father God. He does not conceive of Him as being kind, gracious, and tenderhearted. Instead, his concept of God is one of a severe, rigid, and punitive judge. He believes that God is constantly on the lookout for errant human beings to judge and punish. “These verses reveal Eliphaz’s very deficient concept of God. To him, God did not delight in fellowship with man or in blessing man. His only reason for intervening in life was to punish people when they misbehaved” (Constable).

Job 22:3 Is it any advantage to the Almighty if you are righteous? Would it be any gain to him if you were perfect?

Eliphaz asks pointed, rhetorical questions, the answer to which is none.

The Hebrew term translated as pleasure, advantage, delight, or special benefit is chephets. Chephets connotes a strong emotional connection. The basic meaning is to feel great favor, happiness, joy, or delight with someone or something. The Hebrew term translated gain or profit is betsa’. Betsa’ means to receive personal advantage from something or someone.

Eliphaz postulates that no one can aid or benefit God through their actions. His perception of God is distant, indifferent, and impersonal. He believes God is apathetic towards people, their tribulations, and their righteousness.

It’s not hard to imagine Eliphaz scoffing as he delivers his scathing sarcasm. Perhaps snarling a bit, he questions Job, “Do you genuinely believe that God inflicts calamity on innocent, righteous individuals? Spare me!”

Job 22:4 Is it because you’re so pious that he accuses you and brings judgment against you?

His logic appears transparent and uncomplicated. As Wiersbe puts it, “Courts don’t try people for their righteousness but for their lawlessness! Therefore, God has sent terrible judgments upon Job, so he must be guilty of sin.” However, Eliphaz’s reasoning is entirely misguided, stemming from a flawed premise.

While it’s true that God doesn’t need people, He takes immense pleasure in them. God enjoys people.

Zephaniah 3:17 He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.

The Father gets so excited about the children of the King that He takes great delight and celebrates with joyful singing. Visualize the Father excitedly loving on you.

The opening chapters of the Book of Job provide insight and understanding. Recall that God was so taken with Job’s character and integrity that He was confident Job would prevail over the adversities about to befall him.

“Job’s character and conduct were important to God, for God was using Job to silence the devil. Neither Job nor his three friends knew God’s hidden plan, but Job had faith to believe that God was achieving some purpose in his life and would one day vindicate him. Furthermore, the character and behavior of God’s people are important to the Lord because His people bring Him either joy or sorrow (1 Thessalonians 4:1; Hebrews 11:5; Genesis 6:5-6). He is not a passive, distant God who does not identify with His people but the God who delights in them as they delight in Him (Psalms 18:19; Hebrews 4:14-16)” (Wiersbe).

The omnipotent God doesn’t need assistance from His children. However, we do bring Him immense joy. Shouldn’t we aspire to emulate the example set by Lord Jesus Christ?

John 8:29 For I always do what pleases Him.

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© Dr. H 2024