Job: Chapters 25-27

Bildad Speaks: Man Cannot Be Righteous

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All power and all things are with God. He creates peace and pain, agony and joy. He is the author of all things. Do you dare to try and quantify God? The light He created touches all things and from his mouth, all things were made. How could you, man, possibly be right before God? You are born of woman, not God. You are born into sin and therefore cannot be pure. Even the moon is imperfect in the sight of the Lord, the stars shine impurely, how could you - a man - consider yourself more than the moon and stars? You are nothing but a worm!

Job Replies: God's Majesty Is Unsearchable

Well, how can I ever thank you for all of your wisdom? Amazing! You have helped the man with no power by giving him nothing! Remarkable how you have uttered so many words with no weight behind any of them. All are naked before the Almighty God, none can hide from His presence. He stretches the sky and covers the areas he wants to cover, he brings the moisture from the oceans to the clouds and tells the rain when to fall, he shades the moon with clouds and covers its light. He tells the darkness how far it can go and commands the light to overtake the dark in His time. The foundations of Heaven tremble and fear the sound of His rebukes. He makes the seas still, He shatters all countries that he chooses, merely by His voice He commanded the winds to make Heaven as it is, He commanded Satan to be gone and it was so. We know almost nothing of Him, but look at what He has done and see more of Him. We cannot comprehend His power; we should fear it greatly.

Job Continues: I Will Maintain My Integrity

With God as my witness, He who has made my soul bitter towards Him, for as long as I continue to breathe and there is life within my body, and the Holy Spirit remains within me, I will not utter false words and I shall not deceive Him. My integrity is all I have left, I have been left in the darkness with no forecast of light in my future, I will not let go of it. Whoever rises up against me, just like you, my friends who offer terrible advice, should be counted as the unrighteous. Those who are cut off from God, like me, what is their hope? Will God hear me as I cry out in the night? Will I take delight in Him? Will I call upon God regardless of circumstance? Let me instruct you on the ways of God's hands: All of you have seen these things for yourselves, why do you all live in vain now? The wicked man receives this portion: If they have many children and children of their children, yet they are not given enough food to feed those within their family, they fall upon the sword and are lost. Though they may be blessed with riches untold and pile up luxuries unlike any others, the righteous will wear it and the innocent will divvy up their money. The wicked man builds his house on a foundation of vanity, his life is fleeting and meaningless without a foundation of the eternal. Terror overwhelms his thoughts and the east wind blows and he is swept away, out of place, and cannot find the meaning behind his life. He will flee from this power and chases him away from any joy.

Dear Lord, there are many challenges I face on a daily basis that attempt to steer me away from my integrity. It is a challenge to live a life of integrity day in and day out. There are many echoes within my mind and heart that yearn to be rebellious whether it is towards others or you. I know your majesty if never-ending and I cannot comprehend who you are fully, continue to show me glimpses of your glory during my daily life so that I might continue to choose you over the world. Amen. 

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