289 Friday, October 16, 2009

289 Job 9 – 11; Matthew 15.1 – 15.20

In Job 9 and 10 we find Job asking three questions that gives us insight into a soul that is suffering. The three questions are as follows: :

(1) “How can I be righteous before God?” (9:1-13)
(2) “How can I meet God in court?” (vv. 14-35) and
(3) “Why was I born?” (10:1-22; see v. 18).

The question that Job proposes about his righteousness has more to do with vindication and not salvation. Job wants to prove his innocence before God. Job then talks about some of the attributes of God and realizes that this would be impossible. Next the question has to do with meeting God in court which still has to do with proving his innocence. Job imagines several situations of meeting God in court and again realizes the futility of his thinking. The next question goes to the heart of what many think when in pain. Job is basically saying; ‘you made me and invested in me so why are you destroying me?’ God had not revealed to Job the purpose of his suffering and Job felt he needed to know why this was happening to him. If Job was not guilty of sin then why? God was using Job to defeat Satan at this time and place. In Job we see the unseen world at work and how this unseen world affects the seen world. We have to have faith that God is in charge in the unseen world. What questions do you have of God that has not been answered? Can you trust the Lord until they are answered or until you meet Christ face to face?

We find Christ in Matthew 15 confronting the Pharisees once again. They thought they had found a loop hole in some of God's commands, but they were only fooling themselves. Here is Christ's answer to them,

Matthew 15:7-9 (MSG)
7 Frauds! Isaiah's prophecy of you hit the bull's-eye:
8 These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn't in it.
9 They act like they're worshiping me, but they don't mean it. They just use me as a cover for teaching whatever suits their fancy."

We must guard our hearts in this life. We must ask God to help us not to be frauds, but rather to be transparent before God and others with a heart full of genuine faith. May this be your prayer today.