365 Reflections

Job 25:1–6 (ESV) Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: 2 “Dominion and fear are with God; he makes peace in his high heaven. 3 Is there any number to his armies? Upon whom does his light not arise? 4 How then can man be in the right before God? How can he who is born of woman be pure? 5 Behold, even the moon is not bright, and the stars are not pure in his eyes; 6 how much less man, who is a maggot, and the son of man, who is a worm!” I put the entirety of Bildad's final accusation against Job here because of its brevity and to celebrate this as the final word from the three horrible friends who have not changed in the least as they have sat and mourned with their "friend" in his dire situation.  Some people are all theology and no heart. Job's three friends fit that bill exactly. When I first read Bildad's final speech here in Job 25 I thought, "This guy sounds like a die-hard reformed theologian." He's speaking hard-line "total depravity...

Job 18:1–4 (ESV)  Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: 2 “How long will you hunt for words? Consider, and then we will speak. 3 Why are we counted as cattle? Why are we stupid in your sight? 4 You who tear yourself in your anger, shall the earth be forsaken for you, or the rock be removed out of its place? It's Bildad's turn to come at Job for the second round. His speech is short, to the point, and wrong. He firmly attacks Job as among those whose own evil comes back on their heads.  Job 18:5–6 (ESV) “Indeed, the light of the wicked is put out, and the flame of his fire does not shine. 6 The light is dark in his tent, and his lamp above him is put out. On and on he goes for the rest of the chapter to make one simple point - Job's wickedness is to blame for Job's suffering. It's a simple conclusion for a man who does not speak the truth nor sit to hear it. He's too busy accusing to hear what Job is saying.  Putting yourself in Bildad's position is imp...

It's one thing to suffer traumatic experiences, it's another to have your friends bloviate about why it's your fault. Job has had to see his possessions destroyed, his children killed, his health deteriorate, his wife despise him and now he sits in ashes, covered with soars. When the first friend proposed uttering a word to Job, he went off for 2 chapters. We will learn from these men far more about how to NOT be someone's friend.  And Job picks up this idea quickly. Job 6:14–17 (ESV) “He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty. 15 My brothers are treacherous as a torrent-bed, as torrential streams that pass away, 16 which are dark with ice, and where the snow hides itself. 17 When they melt, they disappear; when it is hot, they vanish from their place. I love the NIV's phrasing for verse 15: Job 6:15 (NIV) But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams, as the streams that overflow What is an intermittent stream? look at ...

Forgive the snarky title, but it's very true. Theological study is never simple. Why? Because life is complicated and God is beyond our knowledge. We can only see dimly, as Paul says.  When Job's first friend speaks after a 7-day silence vigil we says the following: Job 4:1–2 (ESV) Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: 2 “If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? Yet who can keep from speaking? Notice the phrase, "a word". Because he will venture far more than that. He will speak for two chapters. And his theology of suffering is so simple, you get a bit nauseated as he speaks.  He begins: Job 4:7 (ESV) “Remember: who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off? He's going in for the kill off the top. He wants to cast the blame squarely where he believes it lies - at Job's feet. Job is suffering because Job sinned. Now Eliphaz has watched Job's life for years. He's seen this man speak for others and live piou...

If Solomon had a problem with women, his son Rehoboam had a problem with friends. He really needed to know they liked him. The story goes that after Solomon's death, Rehoboam is beseeched by the people who are tired of working so hard for the royal family. They need a reprieve. And they ask for it from the newly anointed king. Very oddly, he doesn't know what to do. He needs time to think. 1 Kings 12:4–5 (ESV) “Your father made our yoke heavy. Now, therefore, lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you.” 5 He said to them, “Go away for three days, then come again to me.” So the people went away. And three days go by and this is how Rehoboam responds: 1 Kings 12:12–15 (ESV) So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king said, “Come to me again the third day.” 13 And the king answered the people harshly, and forsaking the counsel that the old men had given him, 14 he spoke to them according to the couns...

2 Samuel 23:14–17 (ESV)   David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. 15 And David said longingly, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” 16 Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it. He poured it out to the Lord 17 and said, “Far be it from me, O Lord , that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did. This passage seems to be a contradiction in terms. David at war with the enemies of Israel longs for water from his hometown. His three best men get through to get the water and David pours it on the ground. What gives? If I was one of those men I'd be pretty upset. But of course, there's more to t...

One of the questions we have to ask about the end of Absalom's rebellion concerns the actions of Joab toward the young rebel. He violently strikes him down and buries his body in a heap of rocks. Mind you, this is after Joab received clear instructions from David to deal gently with the boy for his sake. 2 Samuel 18:16–17 (ESV) Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the troops came back from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained them. 17 And they took Absalom and threw him into a great pit in the forest and raised over him a very great heap of stones. And all Israel fled every one to his own home. When news of Absalom's death comes to David, he falls to pieces as any father would over a dead child. But Joab once again seems emotionally detached from the entire experience. He reprimands David for disrespecting his men and showing more love for the one who hated him than those devoted to him. 2 Samuel 19:5–6 (ESV)  Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “You have tod...

The Lord's greatest people are known for two things: trusted friends they develop and rely on AND vicious enemies that attack them. 2 Samuel 16:2–4 (ESV)   And the king said to Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for those who faint in the wilderness to drink.” 3 And the king said, “And where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father.’ ” 4 Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.” And Ziba said, “I pay homage; let me ever find favor in your sight, my lord the king.” Into the drama of David's exile arrives Ziba, the former servant of Saul. Commentators agree this exchange is terrible for David. He takes Ziba's word that Mephibosheth is thinking Absalom (of all people!) is...

Exodus 3:1 (ESV)   Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. The Bible introduces us to Moses in his new post-Egypt life. He's working for his father-in-law Jethro and leading his flock. What's interesting to note is that Jethro was referred to as Reuel only one chapter earlier. Scripture does offer two names to many people. This time it is on purpose for the narrative. The point is to show Jethro as the help Moses needed at this point in time.  Jethro is going to guide Moses from his old life to his new life with hardly a word. He is the one who offers Moses a home as he's running from Pharaoh. He gives Moses a family. He provides Moses a job. He is also referred to as a Priest so he is in a large way Moses' spiritual leader. Jethro is perhaps Moses' first spiritual guide since being raised by his mother.  Later in the ...