Day Forty-eight

“After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite,
‘I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken
of me what is right, as my servant Job has.’” (Job 42:7)

Scripture Reading: Job 42:1–9

As we gaze into this pool of Scripture, two truths float to the top. First, God honors honesty. Even though God felt the need to deliver Job a lengthy dissertation on His sovereignty (chapters 38–41), He venerated His servant’s honesty. Job responded appropriately to his loss and suffering. He poured out his heart without dishonoring God. He came clean with his confusion and despair.

Job’s friends stood before God in marked contrast. They presumed to answer for God. They had the audacity to point out to Job why such suffering had fallen upon him. In reality they didn’t know the answer, but they felt compelled to offer explanations. Because they knew so little, they said so much. They spoke as authorities on God, and they were wrong. We often fight the same compelling human nature when someone is going through suffering. We try to figure out why. We secretly wonder if we don’t know something. We offer our theories—sometimes as presumptuous facts.

Answering for the Ruler of the universe is a frightful thing. How much safer to simply say, “I don’t know why this is happening to you, but I do know God loves you.” God honors honesty over pious platitudes. A wise man admits to his ignorance. An ignorant man pretends he is wise.

A second truth emerges from today’s text: God’s anger doesn’t mean the end. Even in God’s anger with Job’s counselors, He was merciful. Though they were brazen and spoke for God, He did not cast them away. I love God’s frankness with Eliphaz in verse 7: “I am angry with you and your two friends.” Many of us have mistakenly concluded that if someone is angry with us, they cannot love us. Thus, we fail to deal with our anger in ways that honor God and build up people. We need to learn the meaning of “be ye angry, and sin not” (Eph. 4:26 kjv).

Can you recall a time when you have been angry at someone you love? Did you express your anger in an honest way? Did you express your anger in an unloving way? Or did you suppress your anger? I find great comfort in knowing God is fully willing to tell us when He is angry—AND WHY!

God explained His anger to Eliphaz, “Because you have not spoken of me what is right.” God may not speak audibly from heaven today, but He is perfectly capable of telling us through the conviction of His Holy Spirit when He is angry or grieved.

We incite God’s anger when we answer for Him inappropriately; yet even in such a presumptuous infraction, God extends mercy. “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail” (Lam. 3:22).