Poetry – Job 5-6

Bible Passage:  Job 5 – 6

When we last read Job, we hear his friend Eliphaz saying that Job had sinned against God and that is why he is in the situation now.

in Job 5 – Eliphaz continues his line of thought but encourages Job by saying…

“ Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects;
Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.”
(Job 5:17)

God chastens those whom He loves.  It is something to think about.

After hearing Eliphaz speak, Job insisted that his complaint was just (Job 6).

What struck me was Job 6:26:

“Do you intend to rebuke my words,
And the speeches of a desperate one, which are as wind?”

Even for those who fear God and are faithful, sometimes when they are in pain, they may speak rashly and unwisely.  But they just can’t seem to help themselves and in desperation, they may just utter words which they don’t really mean.

Perhaps when we meet someone in this situation, we should not judge too harshly their words even if it offends us.  In these times, we ourselves must remain “swift to hear, slow to speak” (James 1:19) for “love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8)