Your Fear of God and the Integrity of Your Ways
Job's friends came to try to comfort him, but they failed miserably in many ways. They seemed to make assumptions about why Job was encountering such suffering and loss. Also, they did not understand his grief, so they tried to stop him from being angry and depressed. They did not know that was part of the grieving process. The first friend to speak was Eliphaz, and he asked Job a question that is very interesting, since it can be taken two ways. (Job 4:6) Let's look at it both ways, and you can decide.
Eliphaz said, "Is not your fear of God your confidence and the integrity of your ways your hope?" If he is assuming a yes answer, he means that Job fears God in a healthy way, so he believes God will see that and take care of him. Also, he means that Job has integrity in his ways before God, so God sees his integrity and honors that quality in him. It is true that we must fear the Lord to truly trust Him with our lives, and we must walk in the integrity of the Lord once we know Him, if we are to be right with God and to stay right with God.
However, in this context it seems Eliphaz is condemning Job. He is saying that Job should not have confidence in those things, because none of us has perfect fear of God and integrity of ways. Therefore, we fail, and God punishes us for our failures, like He was punishing Job. The problem is that Job's suffering and loss were not caused by any sin in his life. It was only God's test to show Satan Job's fear of God and integrity of his ways. I believe Job passed the test, even though it was very difficult. I wonder if we would pass a similar test today, if God put us through one?
Tomorrow, I intend to read Job 5-7.
Eliphaz said, "Is not your fear of God your confidence and the integrity of your ways your hope?" If he is assuming a yes answer, he means that Job fears God in a healthy way, so he believes God will see that and take care of him. Also, he means that Job has integrity in his ways before God, so God sees his integrity and honors that quality in him. It is true that we must fear the Lord to truly trust Him with our lives, and we must walk in the integrity of the Lord once we know Him, if we are to be right with God and to stay right with God.
However, in this context it seems Eliphaz is condemning Job. He is saying that Job should not have confidence in those things, because none of us has perfect fear of God and integrity of ways. Therefore, we fail, and God punishes us for our failures, like He was punishing Job. The problem is that Job's suffering and loss were not caused by any sin in his life. It was only God's test to show Satan Job's fear of God and integrity of his ways. I believe Job passed the test, even though it was very difficult. I wonder if we would pass a similar test today, if God put us through one?
Tomorrow, I intend to read Job 5-7.