Bible Study

  • What Friends Say – Part 1

    Job 4 & 5

    Oh, Eliphaz…so pious! You speak from your place of health and comfort into the misery and sorrow of your dear friend. Could you not sit silently just a few more days?

    “If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? Yet who can keep from speaking?”

    Job 4:2

    Eliphaz summarizes Job’s situation, condensing Job’s sorrow into one narrow thought: You must have done something sinful to deserve God’s punishment like this. What did you do? You were always the one we came to – everyone came to you – for advice and wisdom and comfort and strength. Now you are the one who is in the wrong.

    “Behold, you have instructed many, and you have strengthened the weak hands, your words have upheld him who was stumbling, and you have made firm the feeble knees. But now it has come to you, and you are impatient; it touches you, and you are dismayed.”

    Job 4:3-5

    Sadly, aren’t most guilty of this line of thinking? That when the wise or wealthy or strong suffer it is God’s judgment on them? Finally! It’s their turn now. They have offered counsel; let them take their own advice. We are all so pious in our own sight.

    Eliphaz points his words at Job’s heart, settling his attention on the sin he imagines must be responsible for all of this disaster in Job’s life. He places his focus, like a finger against the imagined stain and presses, expecting Job’s cry of guilt.

    “As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same. By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his anger they are consumed.”

    Job 4:8-9

    He isn’t wrong. Sin does lead to death. James outlines the progression:

    “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”

    James 1:14-15

    But that isn’t what’s happening here in Job’s situation. The reader knows this. A behind-the-scenes look shows God at work to glorify Himself through Job’s suffering, not to punish Job for sin. Is a Job a sinner? For certain, as we all are from birth. Is his current suffering a result of his sin? Not this time, friends. Gratefully, God knows Job’s heart, and will point directly to his sin before the end of the book. The takeaway lesson here: Don’t assume that suffering in the life of another is due to their sin. We don’t know the half of any of it. Also, when God points out sin in our hearts, He is very clear. There isn’t any guessing about what we have done that goes against His righteousness. It isn’t a game of hide-and-seek with the Almighty.

    Eliphaz shares his nightmare with Job. Maybe he had this nightmare while sitting on the ground in silence for those seven days. This nightmarish vision has the feel of a Dickens novel – goose flesh and apparitions, voices in the dark, whispering.

    “Amid thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, dread came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake. A spirit glided past my face; the hair of my flesh stood up. It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; there was silence, then I heard a voice:

    ‘Can mortal man be in the right before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker?’”

    Job 4:13-17

    There is a glorious answer to this question that Eliphaz has posed. Yes, in Christ alone, a believer stands righteous before his Maker, made perfect and complete because of Christ’s finished work on the cross; alive in Christ, because He rose from the grave, victorious over death. This is the truth of the Gospel. Job and Eliphaz were standing on their tiptoes, peering over the edge of a time to see the answer. The reader can skip ahead to the Gospel accounts, Romans, the Epistles, Revelation to find this answer for herself. Sometimes, its a good thing to read the last page of the book first.

    “…there was silence, then I heard a voice: ‘Can mortal man be in the right before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker? Even in his servants he puts no trust, and his angels he charges with error; how much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed like the moth. Between morning and evening they are beaten to pieces; they perish forever without anyone regarding it. Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them, do they not die, and that without wisdom?’”

    Job 4: 16b-21

    There are some holes in Eliphaz’s philosophy of life, his worldview. He doesn’t have the whole story. He doesn’t know all of the information. But, I do love his poetry and imagery. He describes the fragility of human life so well…“houses of clay” describe our bodies, and “foundations are in the dust” refer to our humble origins. But the phrase that keeps pulling me back: “Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them…” This is a powerful word picture.

    My husband and I both grew up in camping families. We have many collected experiences in the woods, hiking, sleeping in tents, swimming in lakes, fishing, cooking over an open fire. We do our best to get our own family out in the woods each summer for at least one camping trip. I remember one childhood camping trip when the tent-cords and stakes were pulled up on one side of the tent my sister and I shared. A tornado came through the area at night. I woke up to the confusion of howling wind, driving rain, and a tent roof falling down on us. We were able to make a dash through the storm to my parents’ tent, soon joined by my older brother whose pup-tent had also collapsed. Those tent-cords keep the shelter anchored to the earth, much like our bodies keep our souls anchored to earth. When the body dies, the tent-cord is “plucked up within” us, the house of clay crumbles, and the body returns to its foundation of dust. Beautiful words from Eliphaz the Temanite, but his philosophy is off the mark. Consider II Corinthians 5:1-10 for more on our body as a tent, temporary and burdensome.

    “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.”

    II Corinthians 5:1-5

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  • A Simple Bible Study Method

    One Chapter a Day

    Each New Year, Christians throughout the world start new Bible reading plans. It’s a wonderful opportunity to start fresh in God’s Word. Some make the commitment to read through the Bible in a year. Some choose to follow a longer plan, reading one book of the Bible for a whole month, focusing on repetition. The goal in any Bible reading plan should be to know what God’s Word says – to be saturated with the truth so that it spills out of us in action and conversation. No matter which reading plan you choose, the very act of reading God’s Word is beneficial…scratch that…I mean, VITAL. Some very helpful books on this topic are How to Eat Your Bible by Nate Pickowicz, Women of the Word, by Jen Wilkin, and Seven Things I Wish Christians Knew About the Bible, by Michael F. Bird.

    I’ve tried multiple reading plans over the years, but have finally settled on a plan that works well for my attention span and reading/study style. I use my own three-year plan, reading one chapter a day. This year, I recruited my family to join in. We’re all reading the book of Job currently, each of us on different chapters as we miss days here and there (life happens).

    The blog posts I share here are my personal notes on the chapters I have read in Job. I’m currently reading Job 18, however, my blog posts run well behind that schedule. Here’s a glimpse into my process.

    Step One: Pray.

    It is important to start your time in God’s Word with prayer. This step is easy to skip. The Bible is open in front of you, and you just want to check the reading off your list and move forward with your day. But don’t skip this key step. It settles your mind right into the Word in front of you. It opens your heart to the truth. It shuts up the noise and chaos around you and zooms in on Scripture. Before you read, pray for understanding, for focus, for wisdom. Pray to be changed by the passage. Pray to know God more because of the passage. Pray for God to search your heart and show you any sin you need to confess. Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide you as you read and consider.

    Step Two: Read the Chapter, and Write in Your Bible.

    Read the chapter, and take notes in your Bible. Yes, it really is okay to write in your Bible. Imagine your children or grandchildren finding your Bible one day with all of your notes in it. What a treasure! I use an ESV, Single Column, Journaling Bible from Crossway. During the initial reading of the chapter, I write in my Bible. A lot. I underline key thoughts, circle verse numbers, draw boxes around sections that are catching my attention, and mark up the margins in my journaling Bible. As I’m reading, if another passage comes to mind, I look it up and add the reference in the margin. Often a quote will come to mind, so I’ll add that to the margin as well. I’ve also been known to draw pictures and color shapes around words and passages. In short, I do whatever is needed to draw my mind and heart into the chapter so that I’ll remember as much as possible for as long as possible.

    Step Three: Read the Chapter Again, and Write Notes in a Notebook or Journal.

    Now, read the chapter again. This time, take more detailed notes in a journal or notebook. A simple spiral bound notebook or journal works great to record thoughts on each chapter. I admit, I’m drawn to leather bound journals, but a fancy journal is not necessary…a composition book works great. This is where I add personal application and struggles; where I vent or complain, and where I work out my own challenges on paper. It offers space for honest dialogue about the chapter, including questions about the meaning, intention, or purpose of the chapter.

    Step Four: Consider Any Questions About the Chapter, and Look for Answers from Trusted Sources.

    After I have read, re-read and taken notes on the chapter, I do some research on any questions I might have about what the chapter is saying. I may look up maps of the locations, or try to understand why phrases were translated certain ways. For example, in Job 13:15, there is an alternate translation offered in the notes of my Bible. I did a little digging to find out why there are two different translations of the same phrase, and tried to determine if my thoughts on the passage change based on either translation. I happen to be married to my pastor (*wink*), so I have another in-house theologian available for discussions about the text. And, like I said, our whole family is reading the same book, so we’re able to converse about each chapter as we read it. The supper table is a great place for this sort of conversation. “Please pass the salt, and what did you think of Eliphaz telling Job he’s being judged for being a sinner?” It makes for lively talks over spaghetti.

    Step Five: Pray…Again.

    I try to end my reading and study time as I began, with my heart turned towards God. This is when I confess any sins He brought to mind during the reading, and this is when I pour out my heart to Him. Sometimes, I’ll listen to worship music that follows the train of thought from the passage. I have several playlists connected to different books of the Bible that I’ve studied over the last couple of years. These songs are helpful to maintain a mindset of worshipful learning throughout my day. Listening to Scripture focused music reminds me of the truths I’ve been feasting on each morning. This leads into step six, meditating on what I’ve read and learned.

    Step Six: Meditate on the Truths From the Passage (and “accidentally” memorize it in the process!).

    Choose a verse or even a phrase from the chapter and meditate on it throughout the day. Write the verse in your notes. I will sometimes write the verse on a notecard so I can carry it around with me to look at off and on. It works well to set it on the kitchen counter or stick it to the refrigerator. I seem to be pulled to the kitchen all day long as a mom and the family cook. I’ve also tucked the notecard into my cell phone case as a gentle reminder. I check my phone constantly throughout each day – emails, texts, calls, social media – the verse is there to draw my mind back to what I read in the morning. As I read the verse throughout the day, over and over, I find that my brain starts to recall it better and better. I end up memorizing the verse!

    Step Seven: Do What it Says, and Teach it to Others.

    Now is the time to practice what we have learned. This is the obedience part, where become doers “and not hearers only.” As I’m reading through a book of the Bible, I find myself talking about it to others. It comes up in various ways. This is a great outward exercise for the truths I’m internalizing. In a recent conversation with another mom friend, I found myself sharing some thoughts on depression from the book of Job. It turned our minds toward Scripture in the middle of a difficult topic. As God works understanding, knowledge, and faith IN to us, we must work it out…exercise it, act on it, obey it. It’s an ongoing overflow of faith from the inner person to the outward expression. This is how we live our faith out loud. Over time, we see change – a growth in our character; we move from self-exaltation to a deep longing to glorify God in all we do and say. This is a lifelong process, and the steps are many times small and slow.

    “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

    Philippians 2:12-13

    After reviewing these steps, it makes even more sense that One Chapter a Day is a good method for me. My brain needs process time. There are big truths on every page of God’s Word, and I don’t want to be in too big of a rush that I miss any precious piece.

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  • I Wish I Was Never Born

    Job 3

    Seven days of silence, sitting in the dust with his three friends. No words. Just being together in Job’s time of grief and suffering. Did Job’s wife make food for them, some bread or meat? Did it rain? What about bathroom breaks, a place to sleep, bugs, heat, cold? So many questions. Maybe none of that mattered – a man can forget what food tastes like, and rain can go unnoticed. Job speaks.

    “Let the day perish on which I was born, and the night that said, “A man is conceived.’ Let that day be darkness! May God above not seek it, nor light shine upon it.”

    Job 3:3-4

    Job curses the day of his birth and the night of his conception. He wishes not for death but for non-existence. To have never been born at all. His lament in this chapter bring to mind six foundational beliefs:

    1. Life begins at conception (v3).
    2. The birth of a child is a joyful, light-filled day (v. 4, 9).
    3. The birth of a child is decided by God (v. 4).
    4. The birth of a child should be celebrated and remembered (v. 6-7).
    5. All men are equal in death (v. 11-19).
    6. A life of fear is worse than death (v. 25-26).

    Job’s faith peeks out from under his blanket of sorrow. He wishes he was never born, that joy was never sparked on the day he entered the world. He recognizes the abiding rest found at the end of life. He blames his current, lived-out misery on God, the giver of life. Yet, he cannot escape the truths buried in his suffering! God gives life. God decides when life is over.

    “Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in? For my sighing comes instead of my bread, and my groanings are poured out like water. For the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me. I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, but trouble comes.”

    Job 3:23-26

    Such a scene! A dramatic monologue, driven by torment and dismay. Job is clear in his raw sorrow. He feels it all. He doesn’t hold back. The reader knows the reason behind his suffering, but Job was left in the dark. He is gutted, wrecked, and the reader sees the whole thing from origin to end. It’s a good story. It ends well, that is to say, there is resolution and redemption in the end. But there is turmoil and conflict first, hardship and grief…trouble comes.

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  • Sometimes, There Are No Words.

    Job 2

    “Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD…”

    Job 2:1

    Again. A repeat of something that happened previously. An echo. Here we are…again. Here we go…again. Satan steps into the presence of the LORD, and God points to Job, His faithful servant, one of a kind, blameless and righteous, a man who fears God and remains a man of integrity despite crippling loss. A man who has seen trouble fly like sparks from a campfire. A man who has turned from evil, but has been unable to escape calamity and disaster. Job’s suffering is staked like a dog on a chain, coming back around again and again, pressing the limits of the chain. The Adversary levels further accusations (this is his wicked method):

    “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.”

    Job 2:4-5

    But Job doesn’t curse God. Even when Satan strikes him with terrible sores that cover his entire body. Even as he sits in ashes and scrapes his sores with a broken piece of pottery; even then Job does not curse God. And when his own wife – bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh – when she presses him to curse God, Job defends God. He responds with heavy theology, a deep belief in the foundational truth that God is God alone. He says,

    “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?”

    Job 2:10

    Can we pause a moment here to offer some compassion and sympathy to Job’s wife? She too has suffered great loss. She has watched the destruction of their wealth, experienced the loss of financial stability, but mostly, she has suffered the horrible pain of losing her children. She is a mother whose ten babies are buried in the dirt. These were children that she carried, nursed, cleaned, changed, fed, put to bed at night, snuggled, played with, taught, children that she raised to adulthood. She watched their footprints grow and carry them away from home. She knew where their bodies were buried when she charged Job to curse God.

    She is a wife whose good, kind, righteous husband is also buried, suffocating in grief, shame, and suffering. She speaks from her anguish. Her words are wrong. Her pain is real. She hears Job’s reprimand, but her response is kept from us. We don’t get to know that part.

    “Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They made an appointment together to come to show him sympathy and comfort him.”

    Job 2:11

    Job’s three friends come to comfort him in all his suffering. As good friends should. We make a meal to take to a single mom. We send flowers to those grieving the death of a loved one. Cards for the weary, a phone call to a hurting friend. We gather up the spilled-out joy, the broken ambitions, and we sit within the grief of those we love. Love grows when we do this, cords are strengthened and tied. This is how community is built. Sometimes, laying foundations is quiet work. Sometimes, there are no words…

    “And when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him. And they raised their voices and wept, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven. And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.”

    Job 2:12-13
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  • Worship In The Dust

    New Year, New Morning

    Job 1

    “O dear Friend, when your grief presses you to the very dust, worship there!”

    C. H. Spurgeon

    We came from dust. Our bodies will die and decay and return to dust. Once or twice a week, a good housekeeper runs a soft cloth over her furniture to remove the thin layer of dust that has accumulated. She might spray the cloth with a polish or a cleaning solution. I say “good housekeeper” because although I keep my house, I would not place myself in that “good” category. Mainly, because the should-have list just grows…like the dust on my furniture. I would rather read than dust.

    Spurgeon preaches, “…when your grief presses you to the very dust, worship there!” I know he meant the dust of the earth. But, my vocation draws my mind to the grief-cleaning I do when life is too heavy. If the house is sparkling clean, what bad could possibly come? So I get off the phone with hurting family members and dear friends and clean my dusty furniture. Not once or twice a week, but as the grief presses me there. This is the kind of mindless activity that lets me pray and cry out to the God Who created me from dust. He draws my mind to Himself in the middle of heartache. It isn’t lost on me that He also could have prevented the heartache. He could have kept my dear friend from medical disasters. He could have prevented the death of my childhood friend. God could have healed the disease before the diagnosis. But He didn’t. So I dust.

    I dust and I pray. The dust I’m wiping away reminds me that we are dying cell by cell. Our skin is disintegrating into particles that float in the sunshine pouring through these old farmhouse windows. This is a good time to worship.

    “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped.”

    Job 1:20

    Job received news that he had lost his wealth and all ten of his dear children on the same day. These were children he prayed for and consecrated to God. These were children he and his wife had raised to adulthood. Ten children. Gone. And his response was to worship in the dust.

    “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”

    Job 1:21

    Can I bless the Lord in every heartache? Can I offer praise and gratitude in all things? During the loss of a dear friend, or a difficult medical diagnosis? When family members are suffering, and friends are hurting? I can only grab my spray bottle and dusting rag and say with the Psalmist…

    “For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.”

    Psalm 62:5-8
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