Job and Bildad talk again

The Book of Job Chapters 17 & 18

In chapter 17 Job continues to defend his innocence. He says: my spirit is crushed and I am near death. I am surrounded by mockers and they taunt me. Defend my innocence, Oh God. No one will stand up for me, you have closed their minds to understanding, but do not let them triumph. They denounce their companions for their own advantage, so let their children faint with hunger.

Job continues: God has made me a mockery among my people. My eyes are dim with weeping. The upright are astonished when they see me, the innocent are aroused against the ungodly. The righteous will move onward and forward and those with pure hearts will become stronger. As for all of you, come back and try again, but I will not find a wise man among you. My hopes have disappeared. My heart is broken. They say night is day and day is night, but they pervert the truth. I go to my grave in darkness. Can anyone find hope? My hope will go with me to the grave.

In chapter 18 Job's friend Bildad the Shuhite replies to him to stop talking and speak sense. He says: we are not cattle, we have intelligence. The truth remains that the light of the wicked will be snuffed out. They walk into a net, a pit, a trap and a noose tightens, a snare lies hidden, a rope coils on their path.
Bidad continues: Terrors surround the wicked at every step. Their vigor is depleted, disease eats their skin, death devours their limbs. They are torn from the security of their tent and brought down to the king of terrors. Their home sill become a barrage of burning sulfur, their roots will dry up and all memory of their existence will perish from the earth. No one will remember them. They will have no survivor in their home country.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: The "king of terrors" in chapter 18 refers to death. Bildad viewed death as a great devourer, but the Bible teaches that God has the power to devour even death.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? Job's friends thought they were so wise, but clearly they thought because they were prosperous, God must be pleased with the way they were living. Job was trying to tell them and us, that prosperity is not a reward for faith in God. A truly wise man knows that wisdom comes from God.

Bildad thought he knew how the universe should be, and he rejected Job's story because it didn't fit in with his outlook on life. Don't we often do the same thing? Don't we often become complacent about our role in life and think we are above those not as successful as we are? Don't we feel threatened at times? Don't let these feelings propagate. Only God has the power and only God holds the promise of a never ending future to those who are faithful to him. Praise be to God!

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:
HEALTH:
Update on my niece Suzanne, she is healing but her leg was crushed and will take many months of doctoring. She is in a nursing home for rehab care. Pray for her healing. Also Gabe, Wanda, Pray for Janice Long’s parents, especially her mother who faces another round of chemotherapy and her father with Alzheimer’s and now her mother in law also with Alzheimer’s. Their family is feeling the strain both emotionally and financially. Pray for them. Update on this family: Her mother-in-law is being taken to Oklahoma to live with an aunt who will care for her.
Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.
Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer.
Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with MS.
Pray for Cyndi Sullivan who made it six years with cancer but may now go home with hospice in her final days.
Pray for my cousin Diane who had total mastectomy surgery for breast cancer.
UPDATE on Barb who went in for back surgery and had a heart attack and stroke, she has her speech back and is home , but continues to have a problem with one arm and hand. Thanks to your prayers, she is able to hobble without a cane and has been granted disability. She still has surgery scheduled on her hand, but I saw her recently and her attitude is fantastic.
Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.
Pray for Judy’s husband who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pray for her too, that she can deal with the side effects of his illness.
Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who is undergoing chemo for his prostate cancer. Update on Robert: he has one more treatment and then three months of waiting for his psat test to come back clean.
Pray for John’s recovery from a heart attack and for the doctors who have difficulty diagnosing his other symptoms.
Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.
Pray for another friend named Carolyn whose faith remains strong, but is lost and confused about where and how to spend her elder years.
SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary
RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John
LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian
SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.