Job 7-8
But Job still has more to say in Job 7. He equates human existence as slavery, and as a slave wonders if tomorrow is any better and only perhaps looks forward to the end of the day, so Job also wonders about a future in which God seems to have cursed him. Perhaps Job is being influenced by Mesopotamian belief systems which held that humans were created to serve gods through menial tasks. It is possible that his change in station has caused him to rethink humanity and its role in the world.
Job now turns to God and wonders how he has been treated as if a monster or demon that God needs to hem in. Is Job that much a threat that God must act in such a way? For Job, God has overdone the master role, for he has quashed Job for no purpose. If Job's lot is just to be a servant, or slave, then he would rather die now.
Now it is Bildad's chance to respond to Job's challenge in Job 8. As Job challenges God as an unjust task master, Bildad reminds Job of God's righteousness. When has God perverted justice? Clearly your children did wrong, you have done wrong, you must repent, for God is just. If Job is to prosper, he must return to God.
Bildad reminds Job that the wicked will not endure, that God will bring them low and provide justice. But God will not reject a blameless person, God will turn back to those who truly seek God.
Psalm 81-82
Psalm 81 could be seen as a call to celebrate a festival, perhaps the Festival of Tabernacles. The opening speaks of music and celebration then moves to a recitation of the work of God to bring Israel into the Promised Land.
The psalm then turns its attention to the response of Israel, or lack there of. They have turned to other gods, other voices. God's voice now seems as if unknown. If the people would just turn back to God, then God would relent and lead the people to victory over their enemies. Those who hate the Lord would cringe as God would be victorious once again.
Then Israel would again prosper and flourish, if only they would listen.
We now come to a phenomenal Psalm 82. What makes it phenomenal you ask? It is phenomenal in that it depicts God putting other gods on trial and condemns them for a failure to care for the weak and vulnerable. God sits in judgment and sentences the gods to live out their lives as mortals because their careless inaction to promote justice has create discord in the universe and threatens to bring down the good of creation.
God will make things right to restore order and justice.
Backlogged Posts
1 Chronicles 1-3
It is believed that the books of Chronicles were written after the Exile and have a close relationship with Ezra and Nehemiah, although not the same author. The last verse of 2 Chronicles is the same as the first verse of Ezra. The books largely follow the history of Israel that is found in Samuel and Kings but largely focuses on the southern kingdom, although it does not have a pessimistic view of the northern kingdom. It would seem in many ways that the emphasis of the book is to get the people of Israel, north and south, to support the second temple efforts and recognize its importance for the life of all of Israel.
A good portion of Chronicles are the lists of genealogies and the book opens with the great genealogy of Israel in 1 Chronicles 1. Two things about these lists, first, note that the list comes to a climax with the birth of Israel and the clans that follow. All of the creative work of God culminates in Israel. Second, notice how all the peoples of the region of Palestine, Canaan, Egypt and even Jordan, Lebanon and Syria are related through this genealogy. God did not just create Israel but all the nations, and Israel was to have a special role among these nations.
The list continues in 1 Chronicles 2 but this time focus is on Israel and in particular Judah. Judah was the main tribe of concern following the exile, so it will have a place of pre-eminence, but all of Israel is important to the author as well.
Finally, in 1 Chronicles 3 we come to David and the Davidic line which runs form David to the last king of Judah, Zedekiah. The last king, who was held in captivity was Jeconiah and his line dates to around 400 BCE which allows us to date the Chronicles. Jeconiah' son, Zerubbabel will be on of the leaders of the post-exilic community in Jerusalem.
2 Corinthians 10
Paul now shifts gears, he now begins to answer his critics. It would seem as if Paul has been called humble, not the Christ-like humble, but humble as in not very bold to proclaim the truth. He is charged with speaking boldly while away but rather timid in person. Paul responds by claiming to be humble, humble like Jesus. His is a ministry based upon the example of Jesus and he has never shied away from its truths. He has been bold in letter and in person and will continue to do so.
These attacks against him he considers as warfare but Paul is not unarmed. He will fight with spiritual weapons of truth and faith. To those who challenge him as being manipulative and worldly, he admits he lives in a human world but he fits with divine powers. With these powers, he is ready to storm strongholds and punish those who transgress the teachings of Christ.
Now Paul comes out swinging for the battle seems to come from a matter of authority. It is not unusual for Christians to differ in their opinions and interpretations, so it is likely Paul's opponents are Christians. However, the question is where does the true authority of Christ come from. Paul is not concerned about the standing of his opponents on this issue because he knows his authority comes from Christ's appearance to Paul. That is his authority and it would see to trump that of his opponents. But even more, and this is something the Corinthians should have recognized, true ministry is about building up a community, something about which Paul claims to be a master builder. His opponents however have only been working to tear down the community. Since Christ is about the body, then only Paul can be speaking the truth.
Paul is not done yet, for while Paul has been commended to the community by the church in Jerusalem and Christ himself, his opponents commend themselves.His opponents only compare themselves to one another, but Paul compares himself by the apostolic commission that he has been given. In fact, these "followers of Jesus" have intruded on the work of Jesus' own body the church that has sent Paul to Corinth. They have no standing. They have no authority.
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