Job Chapter 16. God is our Hope and God is our Witness.
As I read this chapter I see that:
1. Job's attitude towards his comforters is they are miserable comforters.
2. Job's attitude towards God is that God is causing all his pain and anguish.
3. Job's words of self are, he cries, he can't sleep and he is innocent of guilt.
4. Job seems to speak out with words of Hope and faith in God.
My two conclusions from this chapter are:
1. God is our HOPE. When life reaches what seems like the lowest and most hopeless point and we feel it can't get any worse, there is still hope in God. Don't give up. Even though we may say frustrating words to God and ask questions of him with anger, that when all is said and done, God is our hope.
2. God is our WITNESS. It is God who determines our guilt or our innocence. He knows our heart and the intent of our heart. When those around us accuse us of wrongdoing, we can't let it destroy our peace in life, we must remember God's perception is what matters. It's God who we want to please and not man. We can rest in our innocence and have peace in life if we know God is pleased with us regardless of how many accusers are against us.
As I was thinking today about how Job was being accused, I thought of how Satan also accuses us and I revisited Revelation 12:7-12.
Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”