E-pistle for March 3, 2014
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E-pistle
FreeWay Foundation March 3, 2014
Sarcastic and judgmental criticism
(Job 4:1-21)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Eliphaz scolded Job for being a person who could give advice to people in
trouble, but who couldn't take it when difficulty came his way . . . "Is not your
reverence your confidence? And the integrity of your ways your hope?" (v. 6)
were words spoken in derision, vv. 1-6.
2. Eliphaz took the position that the innocent never perish and the upright never
are cut off (die prematurely); he stated that persons who "plow iniquity and sow
trouble reap the same" in this world, vv. 7-11.
3. Eliphaz then told Job of a frightening, hair-raising vision which he had experienced,
vv. 12-16.
4. Eliphaz related the message which he had heard during his dream; a human being
can't be more righteous than God, and if God punished the fallen angels, He surely
will punish sinful men, vv. 17-21.
II. Meditation: on the implications of Eliphaz's cutting remarks
1. Eliphaz sarcastically condemned Job as a hypocrite.
2. Eliphaz's sweeping general statements obviously are in error . . . sometimes the
innocent and the upright DO suffer and die too soon.
3. Also, sometimes wicked persons DO prosper in this life, seemingly NOT reaping
what they sow.
4. If indeed Eliphaz did have a genuine encounter with the Lord in a vision, and is he
did receive from God the message he relayed to Job . . . the interpretation which
he brought was in error!
III. Revelation: on the spiritual lessons to be learned here
1. Confronting a presumed sinner with a mocking, sarcastic attitude never is appropriate,
even if the person is guilty as charged.
2. Proverbial saying like: "You can't judge a book by its cover!" emphasize the fact of
human fallibility . . . only God know everything.
3. Eliphaz made the false assumption that all suffering is due to the sufferer's sin: his
erroneous argument was that those who sin are punished, and, since Job was suffering,
argument was that those who sin are punished, and, since Job was suffering, obviously
he was being chastised by God because of his sin. (The scales of divine justice indeed
shall be balanced, but not necessarily in this world.)
4. It is possible to receive the true word, of the Lord but to misinterpret its meaning when
relaying the message to others.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Avoid prejudice and sarcastic words.
2. Know that spiritual retribution may not come until eternity.
3. Have compassion upon suffering people . . . they may or may not have brought the
problems upon themselves.
4. Interpret God's word with great care and only in the spirit of love.
Follow the ark
(Joshua 3:1-17)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on a new day under a new leader
1. Under Joshua's leadership, God gave Israel a new symbol of His presence:
the people were ordered to follow the ark, rather than the pillar of cloud and
fire which they had followed for the previous 40 years, v. 3. Exodus 40:34-38.
2. God required a new level of faith: "RED SEA" faith required the people to
move forward on dry ground AFTER they had seen God part the waters,
Exodus 14:21-22; "JORDAN RIVER" faith required the people to step into the
water BEFORE God parted the River to let them move across on dry ground,
vv. 13-17.
3. God ordered them to fight a new kind of warfare: on their wilderness journey,
they fought defensively to protect themselves from enemy attacks,
Exodus 17:8-16; in the Promised Land, they fought offensive battles to drive
out the Canaanites and to occupy their territory, v. 10.
4. God provided a new method of supplying their needs: from passively
gathering manna from heaven to actively taking spoils of war from the
Canaanites, Joshua 5:12.
II. Meditation: on the reasons they were told to "FOLLOW THE ARK"
1. They needed DIRECTION, for they had not passed this way before, v. 4.
2. They needed PROTECTION, for the Jordan River was at flood stage, v. 15.
3. They needed a practical, down-to-earth EXAMPLE OF FAITH; the priests who
carried the ark were men who demonstrated active faith by getting their feet
wet in obedience to God's command, v. 15.
4. They needed GOD'S PRESENCE AMONG THEM; the ark contained symbols
of God's word (tablets of law). God's provision (pot of manna), God's
anointing (Aaron's rod that budded), and God's grace (the mercy seat), v. 3;
Hebrews 9:4-5.
III. Revelation: on Jesus, who is the ARK . . . Immanuel: "God with us," Isaiah 7:14.
1. Follow Jesus, the Living Word, the Bread of Life, the Anointed One, the
Propitiation (covering) for my sins.
2. Walk in mature faith, stepping out on God's promises BEFORE I see His
miraculous hand at work.
3. Engage in spiritual warfare against Satan, Ephesians 6:10-18.
4. Trust in the Lord for protection and provision because, "I have not been this
way before, and the water is over my head!"
Self-acceptance
Have patience with all things but first with yourself. Never confuse your mistakes
with your value as a human being.
You're a perfectly valuable, creative, worthwhile person simply because you
exist. And no amount of triumphs or tribulations can ever change that.
Unconditional self-acceptance is the core of a peaceful mind.
--St. Francis de Sales
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