Some Insights From The Book Of Job From Dr. Greg Perry

I found these quotes from Dr. Perry's lecture this morning on Job to be insightful, especially as it applies to learning to have wisdom in dealing with those who are suffering. We would be wise to take heed!

What we all need is someone who will be an advocate for us; to be a mediator for us. They (Job's friends) do not offer to do that. For all the talking, there is lots of it, on and on and on, that is part of the point, it just goes on and on, is there no end to this? For all the words of his well meaning friends, never once, not one word is spoken directly to God on Job’s behalf. Never once do they pray for him. They are only talking to Job and trying to explain his situation. They never advocate for Job.

One great lesson here is that we need take away is that part of the reason they are seen as miserable comforters is that they never interceded for Job. They are with Job, so give them credit for that. They didn’t ignore him, but they needed to go to God with Job and that they never do.

And then a little later in the lecture:

Beware of theological machines. Eliphaz (the first friend to speak to Job, he thinks Job is suffering due to his personal wrongdoing) is naive in his orthodoxy. It’s not that he doesn’t understand something about God in that he rewards obedience but he assumes too much knowledge about why it’s happening. We (the readers) have seen behind the curtain and we know that Job's suffering is happening EXACTLY because he is blameless. This is the irony. Eliphaz has over-reached in his explanation of what is happening in Job’s life.