Some thoughts on current events

Thoughts on Current Events

John 9:1-3 Disciples re. man born blind: “who sinned, this man or his parents?”

· Belief of original sin?

· When tragedy happens, people wonder if God is punishing them

Book of Job high points b

· 1-2 Satan allowed to strike Job; three friends come and sit silently with Job 7 for days
Eliphaz, Bildad, Zopar

· 3 Job’s agony, wishes he had never been born

· 4-5 Eliphaz: the innocent don’t suffer, thus Job is guilty

· 6-7 Job: life is futile, his friends are no help

· 8 Bildad: God rewards the good, so Job is guilty

· 9-10 Job: No one to intervene with God

· 11 Zophar: Job’s heart is wrong

· 12-14 Job: Job rebukes his friends, recognizes God’s power, all are destined to die

· 15 Eliphaz: Job is full of pride, Eliphaz knows more than Job

· 16-17 Job: Friends are sorry comforters, God has worn Job down to a byword

· 18 Bildad: Job has no understanding

· 19 Job: Friends are tormentors, but God will redeem him

· 20 Zophar: The wicked will be brought down

· 21 Job: The good and the bad will suffer, but God will judge the bad in the end

· 22 Eliphaz: Job’s suffering shows his guilt, so repent and turn to God

· 23-24 Job: Job longs for God, but God is distant

· 25 Bildad: Man is a worm compared to God

· 26-31 Job: Job defends his integrity, laments his agony

· 32-37 Elihu: a 4th, younger friend; the 3 friends failed, Job is guilty, God’s judgment is right

· 38-39 God: Does Job understand what God does?

· 40:1-5 Job: Job humbled

· 40:6 – 41 God: questions of Job: can Job do what God has done?

· 42:1-6 Job: repents for his pride

· 42:7-9 Job’s friends have not spoken rightly of God; Job is to pray for them

o They presumed to know God’s judgment?

o The one they viewed as guilty is to pray for their forgiveness

· 42:10-17 Job is restored by God

Some conclusions

· Calamity can be judgment from God, or it can be the vagaries of life

· Be very slow in presuming to speak for God when bad things happen to others, lest we are like Job’s friends

· Matt 19:24 Easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven

· When calamities come, remember to turn toward God for help, always confessing we are sinners