In the book of Job, God waited for the three friends to try and comfort Job in his affliction, but, despite their wisdom of years, they could find no way to dissuade Job from his painful complaint against God—that God wasn’t being fair to him. Then the young man Elihu finally spoke in his anger, frustrated that the older, wiser men could not see the truth of the situation—that Job’s one fault was that he was magnifying his innocence instead of declaring God’s innocence.
Job had failed to recognize that God has an enemy in Satan and that God’s enemy was the cause of his affliction, not God himself.
After Elihu had finished rebuking Job, God himself spoke, and he let Job have it with both barrels, even though Job was a righteous man. God’s defense of his own righteousness put Job’s case to shame, and Job quickly repented of his complaint and surrendered his life and heart to God, just like he had always done before.
It is important to remember that God will have the last word in this terrible war of spiritual forces in this tiny world of ours.
Though we are just specks in the vast universe, God has chosen our planet for the scene of his final showdown with Satan. And we are all participants in this struggle, willing or not. We are called upon to choose sides: to suffer with Christ and be glorified with him or to side with the adversary of God in hopes of avoiding suffering.
Beware, the enemy conceals the ultimate cost of siding with him with promises of a life of pleasure, power, and ease. He dares not disclose what he knows all too well—that eternal torment is his final destination.
Let us always remember that “Well done, good and faithful servant” is the final word that we are hoping for from Christ, and that “Depart from me, I never knew you” is not an acceptable alternative.
~ Brad Heilhecker
Image Unsplash – JR Korpa
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