Job: Was it sin and punishment, or not?  Part 4 of 9

 

And then Job spoke.

 

He cursed the day he was born.  He cried out questioning why he was even born in the first place.  Job was depressed, and wishing he were never born.

 

And then Eliphaz one of Job’s friends spoke.  He spoke for 2 chapters of Job – a little more than a page.  But through all his ramblings one theme remains “Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished?  Where were the upright ever destroyed?”  Job 4:7.

 

These friends were not the kind of friends anybody ever actually wants.  No they blamed Job.  They told him he had sinned, and this was why his life was taken away.  He must have sinned, and to have his life back, he must repent.  But Job knew there was no sin in his life.  He knew there was nothing to repent, and he knew repenting a sin that he didn’t do was worthless and silly.  Why try to appease friends who only wanted to lay blame, when he knew they were wrong?

 

Day after day they blamed Job.  Day after day they went through a list of the faults they thought he had.  Day after day they told him he was worthless, and deserved this punishment that God had given him.  Day after day they said “You have sinned and you are being punished”.  Day after day they told him to repent.

 

And day after day Job disagreed.

 

Job knew that God had taken all he had, and Job wanted to speak to God.  He pleaded with God, and cried out to God and asked to speak to him.