Rebuked

After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.”
Job 42:7
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Rebuked
Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar had approached Job as friends in order to help him. Yet the words they offered did nothing but confuse and hurt Job. Their words were words of prideful and self-righteous men. The drumbeat of these three friends was of a cold unloving God who weighed out punishment in proportion to the sins committed. Therefore Job was guilty of very serious sins indeed. They had a Law-based view of God, one in which the Gospel was superficial at best. Our world is reflected in the image of these three friends. Sinful mankind places human standards of justice upon God while at the same time denying God exists. The devil tries to convince us that God should punish and reward according to our will, and in doing so calls into question God’s actual divine justice. And for this, the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh are rebuked just as Job’s friends were. Job is vindicated by the Lord and is restored to his former self. But just as Job and his three friends are not abandoned by God neither are we. We too come to God in humble recognition of our sins and ask for forgiveness. And in faith, we are not met with rebuke but with forgiveness. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus have assured us of this forgiveness, as well as, life, and salvation. Christ has vindicated us!