Self Destruction

“For he (the wicked) is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walks into a snare” –Job18:8

Job’s friends may have had good intention on the first place when they sat in silence with Job and after seven days had counseled him. But when Job responded and told them his arguments against their case, they become hostile and accused Job of being a sinner and wicked, they were angry at job and had cited various reason why they believe Job deserved his sufferings. Though slightly biased there are still some truths behind their words and some are not.

One of the arguments they have had given that is true is the one where they told Job that wicked people, those who sinned and angered God, are deem for self destruction. That sooner or later their lives will be gone, their passion will no longer burn, their source of income will goes out, their own schemes will be their downfall and their own ways will trap them to destruction (v.5-10).

There is Hope

“Yet the righteous will hold to his way, And he who has clean hands will be stronger and stronger” –Job17:9

It is important that we persevere throughout every trials, hardships and sufferings we go through. For when we die, there will be no other chance to tell people where we have placed our hope when we were alive. But while we are alive and when we persevere and succeed we can have a chance to share to them how the Lord God was able to help us.

Encouraging the Discouraged

“But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief” –Job16:6

Though we hope to encourage people who are suffering from their pain, trials and hardships, we are often quick to judge them. Perhaps they deserve what they are going through right now, maybe they have sinned and they are suffering from the consequence of it, or maybe God is punishing them for all the wrong they have committed. But is this really the way we encourage the discouraged?

            Job has been through a lot. But his friends who tried to comfort him end up discouraging him and make the matters worst for him. So in response he rebukes them and told them that if they would be in his place suffering the same things like him he can also criticize them and rebukes them of their “sins” but instead, if it were him, he would encourage them and would try to take away their grief (v.6).

Courage Under Fire

Help will be given

Read: Matthew 10 : 16 - 23

"Do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

Courage Under Fire

Time will come, as Jesus have proclaimed, that as a believer ,we will be persecuted regarding our beliefs.  We may be beaten, we may even have to defend in trials what we stand for, but this will be an opportunity to tell them, the rulers and the unbelievers, about Christ, the coming Kingdom and His gospel of Salvation (v.17-18).