Durruck
Pirate!
Job 11:17-19, NIV
Job had lost nearly everything. His children had all been killed, his animals slaughtered, his farms burned. Then he contracted a painful skin disorder. So he did the only thing he knew - he presented himself to the Lord. He poured ashes over his head and wore sackcloth (a sign of mourning).
At one point, his wife even told him to just give up and die. His friends all came and told him to repent for his sins; for in their eyes, Job was being punished for wrongdoings. I find it interesting that the quoted snippet above is actually spoken to Job by Zophar the Naamathite, one of his friends.
As part of the introduction to these verses, Zophar says that if Job will reach out to God and turn from wickedness, he will receive the blessings quoted above.
The thing to remember is that these are not physical promises, but spiritual and eternal promises. When we are with God, we should not be afraid of what could happen to our physical forms. We should take rest in His safety. We should look forward to the promise of life.... not because this temporary form is insured, but because our eternal form is promised something far better.
Jesus reiterated this very idea in Luke 12:4 (quoted below) and Matthew 10:28
While Zophar was later rebuked by God, his words were on the right path. He just didn't apply them properly. Job was righteous for turning to God, despite his pain and suffering. Will you make the same decision?
