What does God...

This to happen to me?

 

Why do bad things happen to good people? Part 7

Gentle Reader,

I hope that in taking the time to read and reread these mini studies of the Book of Job your are gaining insight into yourself perhaps you can identify with Elephaz or Bildad or Zophar or maybe even you feel like Job!

It’s hard as we all go through these times. Just remember "Tough times never last, tough people do!"

Now let’s look at these three "friends" of Job once again, and the points of similarity. 1) All of these three men are committed to what is substantially the sane limited and fixed theory of life. (As we have many even today who believe that calamity is always the direct outcome of sin). 2) That Divine favor or disfavor is indicated by man’s material prosperity or adversity. 3) They all have a far too narrow and rigid view of Providence; yet they are sooo sure that their view is right that they look on resistance to their view as resistance to God. See Chapter 11 verse 5 for example "But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;" 4) They all want to prove that goodness and wickedness are always rewarded and punished in this present life: They all are silent concerning human destiny and Divine retribution If there is Retribution in a life beyond this present one. There philosophy and doctrine have no horizon beyond this earth. 5) From the standpoint of argument they are all absolutely static. 6) They all fail to give any real or convincing answer to Job, as is recognized by all those who witness the debate: See chapter 32 verses 3, 5, 11, 12 "Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, his wrath was kindled. Behold, I waited for your words, I listened for your reasonings, Whilst ye searched out what to say. Yea, I attended unto you, And, behold, there was none that convinced Job, Or that answered his words, among you."

Lastly, these three all condemn Job; for in their philosophy, they must either justify Job at God’s expense or justify God at job’s expense. And understandably they chose the latter Chapter 32:3.

How many times Gentle Reader, have you heard when disaster strikes someone wailing (maybe your even saying that now) "Why did God allow this to happen to me?"

We’ll tackle that tough question next time.

Love

Denis

The 3rd Stooge"

Third stooge

Ancient Hebrew text

 

Gentle Reader,

We are having a mini study on the Book of Job and we have been looking at Zophar the third stooge.

Let’s take this time to compare and contrast the three. Look at the differences first. ELIPHAZ rest his views on observation; Bildad rest on tradition; Zophar rest on assumption. Eliphaz is the religious moralist. Bildad is the religious legalist. Zophar is the religious dogmatist. Eliphaz is an apologist. Bildad is the lecturer. Zophar is the bigot; he is full of convictions, but they are assumptions, not reasoned conclusions. In a harsh sort of way, we have Eliphaz, the voice of philosophy; Bildad, the voice of history; and in Zophar,  the voice of orthodoxy; but none is able to give a satisfying answer to a problem like that which confronts Job. These three men can be represented by the three words "IF", "Must" "IS". Eliphaz takes the hypothetical attitude that IF Job were not sinful, the trouble would not have come. Bildad takes the inferential attitude that Job MUST be sinful seeing that the trouble had indeed come. Zophar begins with the assumption that Job IS a sinful man and deserves his affliction.

 What we find Gentle Reader, is that "Religion" cannot take the place to answer, nor can men comprehend the ways of God! ISA 55:8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
ISA 55:9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Next time, Gentle reader bring your thinking cap!

Love, Denis

 

The 3rd "friend"

The Third Stooge/Zophar

 

Gentle reader,

I do hope you have taken an interest in reading for yourself the book of Job.  I am told that yesterday we had an earthquake here (5.2). Not much to speak of but enough to move our toilet several inches around. Could it be possible the "Source" is trying to get our attention? I am just asking in the light of our study of Job.

And now what about the man I call the 3^rd stooge? What about Zophar? We have noted that each "friend" speaks in turn from the oldest to the youngest. Zophar is less courteous and more drastic than either Elipaz or Bildad. This may be due in part to the fact that by the time he entered the argument Job had already answered both of the other two, contradicting their philosophy and upholding his innocence with increasing tenacity. Zophar’s opening words denote that he already feels aggravated. (Chapter 11 verses 2,3) JOB 11:2 Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?

JOB 11:3 Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

Zophar, like the other 2, has his distinguishing features. Eliphaz bases his view on observation and experience. Bildad rest on Tradition. But Zophar is content with mere ASSUMPTION. There is at least reasoned deduction in Eliphaz, and intelligent orthodoxy in Bildad. Bit this man Zophar assumes and pronounces with a finality which would make even Job’s daring to differ a sin. He is the pure dogmatist! From beginning to end of his speeches there is not a semblance of reasoning. There is not the semblance of Eliphaz’s "I have seen" or Bildad’s "Enquire I pray thee of a former age." Zorphar ‘s word is a dogmatic "Know Thou." It occurs in both of his speeches, and in both cases right at the beginning of his main proposition. See Chapter 11:6 and Chapter 20:4. (The latter reads as a question in our English versions, but the Hebrew is simply "know thou")

My question for you Gentle reader, is this Have you meet any of these 3 stooges when you were going through a time of trouble? I know I have... so stay tuned for more insight to the Book of Job.

 Love, Denis

The Second "friend"

Friends are those rare people who ask how you are and then wait for the answer. 

 

Gentle Reader,

We are going through the Book of Job in a mini series to get a handle on "Why Bad things happen to good people" You have the insight based on the first few verses of Chapter 1 that behind it all stands an enemy (Satan ) who has set his cap to destroy Jobs life and his witness (that is the stand he takes for the righteous of God and the Goodness of God. We saw the Larry (Eliphaz) bases all his wisdom on Experience. And Bildad (Curly the second stooge). He does not have the same air of courtesy that Eliphaz had. His first speech perhaps was based on Jobs refusal to acknowledge that he had done anything wrong to bet treated that way. Bildad is a forthright declaimer rather that a reflective reasoned. Unlike Eliphaz who rest his philosophy of life on his own observations and experience, Bildad rest on tradition (now gentle Reader there is nothing intrinsically wrong with tradition. But not at the expense of something that is true in fact. So then we have in Curly -Bildad we have the voice of tradition.

His speeches are simple to understand the first is an appeal, the second is a rebuke the third is an evasion. The first is an appeal and come in three parts an appeal to appearances, (haven’t you run into Curly who say "Well if you had not done this or that you wouldn’t have ended up where you are. "You wouldn’t be homeless if you would just get a job" Makes your eyes bleed doesn’t it Gentle Reader?

According to Bildad Job can not be "pure and upright" note the three "if’s in chapter 8 verses 4,5,6

JOB 8:4 If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;

JOB 8:5 If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;

JOB 8:6 If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

Bildad’s seconed speech contains nothing new found in Chapter 18 of Job and consists of no actual reasoning, but rather proverb -quoting. Verses 1-4 are a rebuke in the form of indignant personal questions

JOB 18:1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

JOB 18:2 How long will it be ere ye make an end of words? mark, and afterwards we will speak.

JOB 18:3 Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed vile in your sight?

JOB 18:4 He teareth himself in his anger: shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of his place?

Verse 5-21 are a rebuke in the form of traditional moral maxims. His third speech comes in Chapter 25 and only has 6 verses. There are a few sententious couplets and is really an evasion. It completely shirks Job’s preceding challenge. (Chapter 24) as to the fact that is the wicked that more often prosper and not the righteous. Bildad touches on 2 well worn topics again -the all-Holy majesty of God (verse 2,3) and the sinfulness of man (verse 4-6) It’s closing words - "Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight" are merely a truism as applied to Job.; for Job has never claimed to be without sin, but only that his sins has not been such as to account for his trouble.

Hidden in plain site however is a question that we will answer at some point in this mini series {Chapter 25 verse 4" How then can man be justified with God?}

Keep reading Gentle Reader and see if you can locate the key to this book Why bad things happen to good people.

Love, Denis

A Friend is one who you can count on to provide a soft place to land

Continuing our Study of Job

JOB

The first stooge Larry speaks

 

"Experience is a dear teacher, but fools will learn at no other."

Gentle reader,

There is an expression "keep your friends close and your enemies closer." But what if your friends however well meaning are more dangerous that your worst nightmare. Who are friends? Gentle Reader, but those when everyone turns their back on you that stand by you when no one else gives a whoop do du! These three friends of Job’s are just such friends they sit in silence for a week before they even open their mouths

JOB 2:11 Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.

JOB 2:12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.

JOB 2:13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

Finely after Job declares that he has done nothing wrong, Eliphaz (We’ll call him Larry -remember the 3 stooges) the oldest of the three speaks He speaks of Jobs helping others in time of need and then points out that it has now fallen upon Job to receive The things that must have befallen him for some misdeed! (Sound familiar Gentle Reader?) Have you ever been told "Well you must have done some thing dreadfully wrong for God to have treated you this way"!

Eliphaz says many true things (as do the others), and often rises into eloquence, but he remains hard and cruel, a dogmatist who must be heard because of one remarkable experience. One will note that Eliphaz bases his whole discussion on general observation and what he feels is special spiritual illumination. His reference to special wisdom handed down from his Temanite predecessors.

Larry (Eliphaz ) while He doesn’t come right out at first and say this (JOB, you are a hypocrite, You must have sinned! Based on experience we all know if you have troubles it’s sin that brought this on. )And Gentle Reader, this understanding is still seen in many churches that say they believe in Grace but sin is the cause of all of your problems.

If that were true then America is in big trouble because we see all around us SIN! Not that any of us have room to point fingers but just in the human nature we have flaws and weaknesses that cause us to act in ways that are at best a poor example of humanity.

Larry thinks he knows why Job has all these things going wrong but He is soooo wrong Gentle Reader, that while He says "Get right with God" No wonder so many people are turned off by modern day Christians.  What do you think will please God so that He'll not knock you down? I'm here to tell you Gentle Reader, you don't have anything to bargain with to make God love you any more - or any less!

Just so you know Gentle Reader, "those so-called Christians who shove your face in what they call sin aren’t really any more than those who say they won’t steal (take a step back and hold on to your wallet) So Larry, sit back and learn a few things. We’ll get back to you latter.

 Next Time we'll take on another friend!

 But understand I'm just saying that people don't really understand what life is all about. If your smart you learn what it's all about.

 Love,

Denis

We interrupt this study....

Dear Gentle Reader,

I have managed to pull some muscles in my back so until I am able to sit for more that 2-3 minutes at a time here is something to read and watch I think you'll find it interesting.

Stand up for Academic Freedom and see EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed in theaters nationwide on FREEDOM FRIDAY - April 18th.

EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed, starring Ben Stein, follows his journey around the globe where he discovers that scientists, educators and philosophers are being persecuted in a modern day witch hunt because they dare to go against the theory of evolution. These pillars of education are being fired, ridiculed and ostracized for merely challenging Darwin's theory; proposing that life on this planet could be a part of some intelligent design and not random chance.

This thought-provoking film not only forces us to question what we have been taught but challenges us to ask, “What else is being kept from us?”

 Love, Denis

 

 

nothing can hurt...

No weapon that is formed against thee shall PROSPER; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. (Isaiah 54:17)

Gentle Reader,

The 4^th thing we should  know about our enemy is most important. That is from Satan’s own words in the prologue is that this evil one is neither omnipresent nor omniscient. Many like to think that like flip Wilson "the Devil made me do it." That Satan is everywhere but read again those first verses in Chapter One Satan is limited by time and space. [see my entry on time and the theory of everything]. He may move with lightening like speed. But none the less he is a created being and therefore a local being. He can only be at one place at a time. Many Christians have a mistaken belief that Satan is hovering about them in a shadowy sort of way, but they are wrong.

Nor must we think that Satan is omniscient - as many seem to think. While God can see into our minds Satan cannot! Here is comfort for the saints. Our thought can be private between us and God. Satan can only influence but never force. He can however take over a human mind IF we would allow his access. But he cannot control especially a child of the most High God. As God has put a seal on those who are his.

5th We note that Satan can do nothing without Divine permission ! His machinations are under the perpetual surveillance of the Almighty. He is free to rage and be as restless as one can be tied to a long cord free but bound! (Job 38:11) "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further:" It is because Satan can do nothing without permission that God is able again and again to rule and overrule Satan’s doings to the ultimate good of those he would ruin. As Paul says in the Book of Romans, " And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28 )

6th And let us be to learn this Gentle Reader, in every such permission thee is a definite limitation. The first in Job is in Chapter 1 verse 12 "And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand".... Then when Job sublimely survived the test, there is a further permission, but also a further limitation, " But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

And the LORD said unto Satan, "Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life." (Job 2:5-6). Here is again comfort for the saint. Satan has absolutely no power against the Saint beyond what God allows. Remember Dear child of God. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Eph. 6:12). Nothing can touch you except what God in His infinite knowledge wills. But why? You may ask would God allow something tragic to happen? See 1 Corinthians 10:13 "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. The concept of temptation is the same as one would stretch a rubber band to the breaking point. Not for God pleasure but that you may learn what sort sterner stuff you are made of. For unless you are spiritually stretched you will never grow into the perfection that god sees when He made you.

Finally let us learn afresh that from this prologue that God’s eyes are ever on his own people and especially so in times of trial such as what you are going through right Gentle Reader! God’s question to Satan was "hast thou set thine heart against my servant Job...?" The very question indicates that God also had Job in His thoughts. Note: How God calls Job by name as He knows Job He knows all of His Children. So it is will all God’s Jobs.

Never fear Gentle Reader, God is just a whisper away.

Love, Denis

Wiles of

Enemy

"There is no neutral ground in the universe; every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and counter-claimed by Satan” C. S. Lewis

 

Gentle Reader,

You think that people are out to get you, think of it this way we have an unseen enemy who want to fill your life with as  much misery and pain as possible!  In our wee study of the book of Job we find that there are Arresting Implications with the person introduced to us as Satan. The first two having already been considered we now turn our attention to a third. that is:

3. Satan is behind the evils that curse the earth. In reply to the question "Whence comest thou? " Satan replies "From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it."

It seems clear that Satan has a special interest towards man and his place of residence. The book of Genesis gives insight to the origin on man's participation in Sin (Yes, Virginia, there is sin on the earth). Scriptures make it plain that progressively that Satan is largely responsible for the evils that afflict our race. (It's the enemy unseen that can influence one to commit acts unspeakable. Satan's words  "going to and fro and  walking up and down in it." indicate his restless and unintermittent and malevolent strategies.  He knows nothing of peace and joy which inheres beneficent service.

This perpetual motion of unrest is ever the mark of Evil, banished from God. See  Isaiah 57:20 "But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt." and Matthew 12:23 "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none". But besides this restlessness there is a perpetual purpose of evil in Satan's peregrinations. He is the "god of this age" who blinds the minds of the unbelieving.  We can never get far in dealing with the world's social problems or closer to home your problems until we realize that behind man's inhumanity to man is the energising and organising mind of a spiritual entity that influences men, women, boys and girls to give in to hatred, wickedness, and all sorts destestable actions that offend our senseabilities.  Many refuse to acknowledge that simple fact that we are spiritual beings with a moral compass. Some even blame "religion" and while "religion" has been used often to advance Satan's plans, men who are tools have been just as wrong in trying to make everyone fit into a mold of their own making!  "Religion" was and is not the answer Gentle Reader. But we'll come to that later as we explore why bad things happen to good people.  

Sound familiar Gentle Reader?

keep reading!

Denis

Equal time

And now for the other side of the coin

 

Gentle Reader,

Having spent some of your considerable time presenting the inter-evidence of the date and authorship of the book of Job. We now need to turn to the one called the Devil ("the Devil made me do it")- Flip Wilson. Some of the other names of Satan are his attributes. The following are names of Satan and aliases he uses:

Lucifer, meaning morning star (Isaiah 14:12)

ruler of the demons (Matthew 12:24)

god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4)

devil/accuser (Matthew 4:1)

prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2)

roaring lion (1 Peter 5:

serpent (Genesis 3:1)

dragon ( Revelation 12:9); 20:2

adversary (Job 1)

tempter (Matthew 4:3)

the anointed Cherub that covers (Ezekiel 28:14)

Beelzebub (Matthew 12:24)

Belial (2 Corinthians 6:15)

wicked one (Matthew 13:19)

What we see in the first few verses are some arresting Implications concerning Satan. (Your adversary-the Devil [who is by the way a spirit un like what you see on what I affectionality call the boob tube.

If in fact that we can be assured that the Book of Job is true then why would it begin with the prologue that it does unless we are to understand several things.

1. Satan is accountable to God He is called "son of God" Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. (Job 1:6)

Not as a privilege of access, or to participate in governmental deliberations of The Divine Mind. But to render an account. He no less than other creatures is subject to divine Authority. His appearing before the throne of god is neither a privilege from God nor a presumption of his own, but a compelling ruling of the Most High which this arch-enemy dare not and cannot avoid.

2. Second, we see here that even the dark mind of satan is an open book to God. It might sound at first glance as though God’s words, " Hast thou considered my servant Job, ... (Job 1: Were because God didn’t know where Satan had been or what he had been up to, but to compel a confession on the part of Satan. More literally translated God’s question is "Hast thou set thine heart on (or against) my servant Job because there is none like him.... Satan’s reply immediately revealed that he HAD, and that his lack of success was because God had hedged Job to protect him. It is a good thing to reflect that God knows all that is in Satan’s mind at that at all times, against any of the saints.

To be continued...

 Hang in there Gentle Reader..... More understanding is on it's way! In the mean time you need to know that Satan has no power over you except that which you give him. And if you are a believer you cannot be touched ...

 Love, Denis

Looking to the Past

Satellite picture of the crossing of the Red Sea

Why oh, Why? Should I believe a book over 3000 years old Dr. Denis?

Gentle reader,

If it were merely a fiction novel then I would say your better off reading something else but what if... (that is where I always start what if this were true then what if something else were true maybe not all that we believe is mythical for example:

A little boy once returned home from Hebrew school and his father asked, "what did you learn today?"

He answered, "The Rabbi told us how Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt."

"How?"

The boy said "Moses was a big strong man and he beat Pharaoh up. Then while he was down, he got all the people together and ran towards the sea. When he got there, he has the Corps of Engineers build a huge pontoon bridge. Once they got on the other side, they blew up the bridge while the Egyptians were trying to cross."

The father was shocked. "Is that what the Rabbi taught you?"

The boy replied, "No. But you'd never believe the story he DID tell us!"

You see gentle reader, many want to believe something is true (even when their senses tell them that the thing heard was true) But then common sense steps up and says "That can’t be true" and So a person goes away and doubts simply because they were too lazy (or worse not interested enough to investigate for themselves).

So with that in mind let’s take a step back and consider some possibilities as to the "FACTS" about the book of Job!

If Job was the son of Issachar (Gen 46:13) "And the sons of Issachar; Tola, and Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron.", then we have a clue that may help us to a decision of both the authorship of the Book of Job and the date of its writing. There is no reason at this point to doubt that JOB should not be the son of Issachar, and we have no better evidence is forthcoming for a different view.

The 3 friends of Job were descendants of ESAU; they would therefore be contemporaries.

ELIPHAZ of Teman in Idumea was the son of ESAU, and had a son called TEMAN, from whom his country took its name (Gen. 36:10,11) These are the names of Esau's sons; Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau.

And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz. It was noted for its "wise men" (Jer. 49:7) "Concerning Edom, thus saith the LORD of hosts; Is wisdom no more in Teman? is counsel perished from the prudent? is their wisdom vanished? And is mentioned with EDOM (Amos 1:11,12) . Note and compare Jer 25:23 where both are connected with BUZ the brother of UZ (Gen. 22:21)

Note: UZ was where Job was "in the land"

BILDAD the Shuhite. Shuah was the 6^th son of Abraham by Keturah (Gen. 25:2) and is mentioned in connection with Esau, Edom, and Teman (Jer. 49: .

Zophar the Naamathite Naamah (now Na aneh , six miles south of Lod, in the lowlands of Judah).

Now then you see Gentle Reader, why Genealogy is important like going to a baseball game and not knowing the lineup!

If Job was the son of Issaachar (Ge. 46:13), he would have gone done to Egypt with his father.

And Issachar was forty at "the going down to Egypt". Job being the 3^rd son (Gen. 46:13), he would have been about 20 at the time [1706 B.C.]

We are told that Job lived 140 years after his " double blessing" (42:10) "And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before." And if (the Greek prepositional if If and it could be true) If his "double blessing’ included length of years, then his age would have been 70+140=210 (i.e. three 70's of years) Jobs lifetime would have been from 1726-1516 B.C.

According to this, he was born the year after Joseph was sold and died 119 years after the death of Joseph in (1635 B.C.) Where Joseph died Job was 91.

If Jobs "double blessing" did include length of years, then his affliction took place 21 years previously , when he was 70. His removal from Egypt to UZ would therefore have taken place earlier. Still.

When job died (1516 B.C.) Moses would have been 55, and had been in Midan 15 years (25 years) before the Exodus).

This would account for Job being a worshiper of the God of Abraham and explains how Moses could have been the author of the book and even perhaps an eye-and ear witness to the events it recorded in Midian. If so that these hypotheses are true (which I have very little doubt) then we believe the time has come that this book should be considered as "the Porch of the sanctuary" and when this "fundamental wisdom of original revelation will cease to be asscribed, as it now is by some of the best, to a latter poet of Israel.

Rest your wee heads Gentle Readers, with another joke:

As Moses and the children of Israel were crossing the Red Sea, the children of Israel began to complain to Moses of how thirsty they were after walking so far. Unfortunately, they were not able to drink from the walls of water on either side of them, as they were made up of salt-water.

Then, a fish from that wall of water told Moses that he and his family heard the complaints of the people, but that they through their own gills could remove the salt from the water and force it out of their mouths like a fresh water fountain for the Israelites to drink from as they walked by.

Moses accepted this kindly fish's offer. But before the fish and his family began to help, they told Moses they had a demand. They and their descendants had to be always present at the seder meal that would be established to commemorate the Exodus, since they had a part in the story. When Moses agreed to this, he gave them their name which remains how they are known to this very day, for he said to them, "Go Filter Fish!"

 Till next time Gentle Reader, dust off your History book and read for your life!

 love, Denis

What we know

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

 

"How to become good without really trying"

 Dear Gentle reader,

The purpose of the Book of Job is not to answer your question "Why do bad things happen to good people" although I dare say in the reading you may find a solution, but at best it is a interim solution, not by any means the final solution. Suffering is so common that many never give it a thought of how those who suffer feel!

The purpose of the book is to give those who are capable of learning a chance to see beyond the mist and behind the suffering what lies for all. That is the is a divine purpose and what suffering and pain exercise is a gracious ministry for the godly (those who can see beyond the material into what we call the spiritual. Did you know Gentle Reader, that science has now evidence that our brain is "hardwired" to have an understanding of the existence of God. Don’t faint just because there are those who claim that since God can not be found by "scientific evidence" He can not exist! Sorry boys but if you could prove by "scientific evidence God exist then He would be much of a God, now would He?

Behind all the suffering of the godly is a high purpose of God, and beyond it all is an "afterwards" of glorious enrichment. Such suffering as we learn from This Book of Job, is not judicial, but remedial; not punitive, but corrective; not retributive, but disciplinary; not a penalty, but a ministry.

This Book and the central message of Job then may be expressed as: "BLESSING THROUGH SUFFERING" Through bitter calamity comes blessed discovery . The Book is a grand illustration of the Apostle Paul’s words. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 )

Get your head around this Gentle Reader, and get a hold of the concept that you are being transformed into very image of Christ who is the fullness of the invisible God.

Till next time,

Love,

Denis

Why JOB?

Gentle Reader,

The reason why is found below. But in case you have trouble understanding why I would write/talk about the book of Job is because we live in a world that has gone mad!

Wal mart is suing a brain damaged woman employee to regain money back that they paid out (they were at fault) for medical bills , never mind that she is totally dependent on others in a nursing home. Never mind that Wal Mart earned $900 billion (yes that is right $900 Billion last quarter). Never mind that SEX is so rampant that the police are going on the Internet to catch predators. Never mind that you are facing the worst time in your life. Losing your jobs to other countries, facing the choice between eating food or buying gas! Never mind that parents are throwing their children off bridges or teens are shooting each other over the smallest slight.  Why? do I write about the Book of Job? Because God understands and you need to understand why bad things happen to good people!