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Observe what happened to Job concerning his pride and self-righteousness.
Looking at Job. Job was a Godly and upright man that feared (reverenced) God and abstained from and shunned evil. Job was blessed with many children and rich in material wealth. When he heard that his possessions were taken away by evil men and his servants were killed and his children were killed he justified God by saying the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away blessed be the name of the Lord (Job Chp.1).
When Job was smitten by Satan with sore boils from the sole of his feet to the crown of his head. Job was in much grief and his wife said to him do you still retain your integrity? Curse God and die. Job replied you speak as one of the foolish women. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil? Job again justified God. When Job’s 3 friends heard of the evil that came upon him they went to him to comfort him and mourned with him for 7 days and 7 nights and no one said a word to him because they saw that his grief was great (Job Chp.2).
However during the time of Job’s suffering his friends implied and accused him of sinning and that was the reason for his afflictions (Job 22:2-11) . Job’s replies were not only against his friends but against God. Job’s Pride was hidden from his realization but revealed later. We will find that Job was righteous in his own eyes because he was justifying himself rather than God. Job wanted to contend with God by looking through and defending his own self-righteousness and why was he suffering because he had done no wrong. Keep in mind only by pride comes contention (Pro.13:10). This encompasses Selfish ambition and strife wherein is confusion and every evil work (James 3:14-16). Contention and strife are disagreements, verbal fighting and arguing. Look at Job’s pride which was lurking in Job’ heart that he could not see. Job said.
- Job 10:1-7 (NET) 1 "I am weary of my life; I will complain without restraint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. 2 I will say to God, 'Do not condemn me; tell me why you are contending with me.' 3 Is it good for you to oppress, to despise the work of your hands, while you smile on the schemes of the wicked? 4 "Do you have eyes of flesh, or do you see as a human being sees? 5 Are your days like the days of a mortal, or your years like the years of a mortal, 6 that you must search out my iniquity, and inquire about my sin, 7 although you know that I am not guilty, and that there is no one who can deliver out of your hand?
- Job 27:6 (NET) I will maintain my righteousness and never let it go; my conscience will not reproach me for as long as I live.
- Job 23:1-6 (Net) 1 Then Job answered: 2 "Even today my complaint is still bitter; his hand is heavy despite my groaning. 3 O that I knew where I might find him, that I could come to his place of residence! 4 I would lay out my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments. 5 I would know with what words he would answer me, and understand what he would say to me. 6 Would he contend with me with great power? No, he would only pay attention to me. In Chp.31 Job justifies himself.
Job speaks against his friends because his friends had spoken against him, see also Job 22:2-11 for the accusation made by one of his friends. Some of Jobs responses are listed.
- Job 13:1-4 (NET) 4 But you, however, are inventors of lies; all of you are worthless physicians!
- Job 16:2-3 (NET) 2 "I have heard many things like these before. What miserable comforters are you all! 3 Will there be an end to your windy words? Or what provokes you that you answer?
- Job 19:1-6 (NET) 1 Then Job answered: 2 "How long will you torment me and crush me with your words? 3 These ten times you have been reproaching me; you are not ashamed to attack me! 4 But even if it were true that I have erred, my error remains solely my concern! 5 If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me and plead my disgrace against me, 6 know then that God has wronged me and encircled me with his net.
Job 32:1-2 (NET)1 So these three men refused to answer Job further, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 Then Elihu (a forth and younger friend) son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry. He was angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God.
Now The Lord Himself confronts Job
Job 40:1-8 (NET) 1 Then the Lord answered Job: 2 "Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let the person who accuses God give him an answer!" 3 Then Job answered the Lord: 4 "Indeed, I am completely unworthy - how could I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth to silence myself. 5 I have spoken once, but I cannot answer; twice, but I will say no more." 6 Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind: 7 "Get ready for a difficult task like a man. I will question you and you will inform me! 8 Would you indeed annul my justice? Would you declare me guilty so that you might be right? To see more of what God said to Job finish reading Chapter 40, then also read Chapters 38 (vs 4 When God said where were you when),39, 41.
Job repents
Job 42:1-6 (NET) 1 Then Job answered the Lord: 2 "I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted; 3 you asked, 'Who is this who darkens counsel without knowledge?' But I have declared without understanding things too wonderful for me to know. 4 You said, 'Pay attention, and I will speak; I will question you, and you will answer me.' 5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye has seen you. 6 Therefore I despise myself, and I repent in dust and ashes!
Job is forgiven and prospers
Job 42:10-11 (NET) 10 So the Lord restored what Job had lost after he prayed for his friends, and the Lord doubled all that had belonged to Job. 11 So they came to him, all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and they dined with him in his house. They comforted him and consoled him for all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.
Job 42:12-17 (NET) 12 So the Lord blessed the second part of Job's life more than the first. He had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. 13 And he also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-Happuch. 15 Nowhere in all the land could women be found who were as beautiful as Job's daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance alongside their brothers. 16 After this Job lived 140 years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. 17 And so Job died, old and full of days.
Light shines in Darkness and darkness could not overpower it. Love shine in hate and hate could not overpower it. Righteousness shines in wickedness and wickedness cannot overtake it. Truth shines in lies but lies and deceit cannot overpower it. The way of the Lord shines in the way of Satan and the way of Satan could not overpower it.
Do you see any of what is written concerning yourself?
There are times when we do not see of ourselves the way others see us. When they tell us a fault we still do not see it no matter how many times we are told. We do not see and if perhaps we hear what has been said we do not acknowledge it. However when the Lord reveals it, if there is an element of light in us we will deny it or acknowledge it. However sometimes we must go through a fiery trial for the truth of our fault to be revealed and because of our reverence and love for the Lord we will both see and confess that sin. Sometimes we do not want to call it sin.
There are ways of us, our selfish, self-centered ways encompassed in pride and lust of our fleshly nature that are not readily revealed to us. We do not always recognize what we do and why we do it. We walk in a darkness an obscurity whereby godliness, righteousness, truth and the way of God is hidden, undistinguishable, not clearly understood, and difficult to discern. This is often done in ignorance i.e. not being unaware of what exist. Sin, which are the ways not of God are evil and in our flesh and we at times delight, enjoy and take comfort in this darkness which is one of the reasons we do not recognize it. When we take comfort and security in ways not of God and if we are told that our way is wrong we often refuse to listen, resist the truth, reject the way of the Lord and then rebel against it. If we delight in scoffing and scorning i.e. belittling, despising, mocking looking down on others and hating godly knowledge, then anguish, calamity, destruction, and distress are what is going to be reaped (Pro.1:22-32). Then there is over indulging in sex or sensual pleasures, including the lust or pleasures of what we see and hear. In addition over indulging in even good things result in consequences. For instance overindulging with eating food, gluttony, leaning on food, ice cream, sweets, etc. for comfort, instead of trusting the Lord, indicates idleness and lacking self-control. There is too much drinking things that are in excess such as sugary drinks, coffee, tea, alcohol, good etc. In addition too much pleasure in sports, and good things that we enjoy too much. Then there is our own way in everything that is against God, whatever is not of faith is sin (Rom.14:23). However when we go through trials often fiery trials the heat of those temptations causes our selfish and sinful ways to be exposed and revealed. In the fiery trials the self -comfort we enjoyed before are no longer present. What we loved in darkness could not dispel, dismiss the consequences of misery, anguish, calamity and adversity that is encompassed in going against the will of God. What we sowed in the flesh we reaped. Those ways could not stand against the evil powers of darkness.
In the fiery trials, the evil day, the day of adversity (Eccl.9:22; Eph.6:13; 1Peter 4:12) we look for peace but could not find them in the comfort of our pride and lust. We could not find peace in the things or people that we loved too much, including our own health. What we believed was eternal we found to be temporary. Now the light of God’s way has shone through the darkness and as we are grasping for peace, we find the truth, we find what is right in God’s eyes we realize now that all that we loved too much was not of the Lord and could not endure the adversities, evils of darkness and afflictions in this life. The Light, the Word of the Lord says to confess to the Lord what we loved too much was wrong and that it had replaced the Lord, and His counsel. The Light, The Truth, The way of God and eternal life, says turn your heart away from what you have been holding onto, let it go and He will cleanse it i.e. you will be forgiven all (1Jn.1:9). When the darkness of unrighteousness is confessed and repented of you will have peace. Peace and joy is in the righteousness of God. Then you will honor and glorify The Lord Jesus will then blessed with the prosperity that could not be obtained otherwise (Pro.1:33; 3:5-8). We will reap life everlasting. This is what is reaped when we sow to the Holy Spirit. (Gal.6:7,8)
Submitting to confession, repentance, trusting and believing the Lord in His Gospel is the Light that dispels, dismiss, scatters darkness. When we submit to the Lord and resist the devil i.e. when we resist his way of lust and pride he will flee, thereby leaving us alone. (James 4:7). The Light shines in darkness and darkness comprehend it not.
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