Like a chestnut tree

Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind and said,

“Who is this who darkens the divine plan
By words without knowledge? (vv. 1-2)

If anyone thinks they are righteous because of their deeds, they must be silent from now on after reading the words of God in this chapter. Elihu was sent to speak to Job and his friends to prepare them to listen to God. What Elihu said is not different from what God speaks in this chapter.

No one is righteous before God. If anyone is righteous before, that is because God made them righteous. As we all know, we become righteous through Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, who was sent to earth to teach about God. That is what God’s apostles preached – Truth and the Word.

Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own, but the Father, as He remains in Me, does His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. (John 14:8-14)

Through Jesus Christ, we claim to know God. And to know God is to be one with Him, just as Jesus Christ is. Understanding God’s words through the Holy Spirit and believing in Jesus Christ and the Father leads us to righteousness. Therefore, it is incorrect to say that Adam and Eve were holy and righteous. They were given a certain level of knowledge and wisdom, but they did not understand God. Their treachery reveals this. Adam and Eve were created blameless and without sin; however, that does not make them holy or righteous. Everything is centered around Jesus Christ—that is God’s plan. And the ultimate goal is the Kingdom.

If anyone claims that righteousness comes from the law, they have not understood the Book of Job. Job insists he is more righteous than God. Yet, instead of speaking to him about morally good deeds, God speaks about His creation and knowledge. Therefore, we conclude that righteousness belongs to the Creator alone. Righteousness is about being God. The law was given to reveal who God is and what He had planned before creation.

Therefore the Law has become our guardian to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. (Galatians 3:24)

To be equal with God, Job would have needed to be present when God created all things. But Job is merely a creature, planned to be born at a time ordained by God. There is one being who existed when God created all things—Wisdom.

When He established the heavens, I was there;
When He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
When He made firm the skies above,
When the springs of the deep became fixed,
When He set a boundary for the sea
So that the water would not violate His command,
When He marked out the foundations of the earth;
Then I was beside Him, as a master workman;
And I was His delight daily,
Rejoicing always before Him,
Rejoicing in the world, His earth,
And having my delight in the sons of mankind. (Proverbs 8:27-31)

Wisdom, understanding, and knowledge are not physical beings—we cannot see or touch them. Yet they are alive in human form: Jesus Christ.

… but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 1:24)

It is no surprise that the Book of Job is one of the wisdom books of the Bible. Although it does not speak about Jesus Christ directly, the entire book ultimately points to how we are saved through Him.

Jesus spoke these things; and raising His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, so that the Son may glorify You, just as You gave Him authority over all mankind, so that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I glorified You on the earth by accomplishing the work which You have given Me to do. And now You, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world existed. (John 17:1-5)

Churches around the world have become deeply corrupt. They focus only on external deeds and cling to the teachings of heretics. They preach Covenant Theology and the Active Obedience of Christ, essentially suggesting that people can be saved without Jesus Christ. They only want a tool to wipe away their sins, believing they are as good as Adam and Eve before the fall. Then they claim they can achieve righteousness through the works of the law. In their hearts, there is no love for God—they regard Jesus Christ as nothing more than a tool. These heretics cannot even explain why we receive eternal life, so they invented the idea that Christ kept the law on our behalf to earn it for us. How ridiculous!

Isn’t it just that God pours out wrath on earth and brings the Kingdom of the righteous?

Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed. (Revelation 16:15)

Listen to this, Job;
Stand and consider the wonders of God.
Do you know how God establishes them,
And makes the lightning of His clouds to shine?
Do you know about the hovering of the clouds,
The wonders of One who is perfect in knowledge (vv. 14-16)

Many of us wonder what Elihu is talking about. Half of the book is about Job’s suffering despite his good deeds. Job claims he is righteous and believes he is being treated unfairly by God. He wants justice. Now Elihu speaks about God’s knowledge—knowledge that no one can fully comprehend. What is the connection between righteousness and knowledge? And why is this important for understanding the true meaning of righteousness?

People often think righteousness has to do with the law. However, sin existed even before the law was given.

… for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. (Romans 5:13)

If the knowledge that God possesses is true righteousness, then not knowing God is unrighteousness. Jesus Christ came as the wisdom of God, possessing knowledge and understanding. He is the exact representation of the Father. Therefore, anyone who denies Jesus Christ is unrighteous.

And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, to the extent that He has inherited a more excellent name than they. (Hebrews 1:3-4)

Understanding the works of Jesus Christ is the knowledge granted to every saint. Therefore, establishing and declaring the common knowledge of God and His works lies at the center of the Christian faith. Despite the many corruptions and evil deeds committed by churches on earth, God has been educating His people through the invisible Church. The invisible Church has no building or visible form; it is a group of the chosen, united by the Holy Spirit.

Understanding righteousness solely within the framework of the law is a serious mistake. It is like seeing only a portion of a picture of an elephant for the first time and trying to guess what it looks like.

God’s righteousness flows from His knowledge. If anyone possessed more knowledge than God, they might be in a position to judge His righteousness. But all knowledge comes from God. We cannot even walk, eat, hear, or speak without His permission. He is our Father. Yet here, Job speaks as if his righteousness is greater than God’s.

The Almighty—we cannot find Him;
He is exalted in power
And He will not violate justice and abundant righteousness.
Therefore people fear Him;
He does not regard any who are wise of heart. (vv. 23-24)

Do you think this is in accordance with justice?
Do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s’?
For you say, ‘What advantage will it be to You?
What benefit will I have, more than if I had sinned? (vv. 2-3)

This chapter reveals Job’s struggles and explains why God has allowed these disasters to befall him. It emphasises that these events are not punishments but lessons. Elihu poses similar questions to the readers.

As Christians, we often fall into the delusion that our actions for God entitle us to rewards. When faced with undesired outcomes, we swiftly blame God and accuse Him of injustice. In truth, we are like wayward children. However, God understands our limited knowledge and lack of understanding.

If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against Him?
And if your wrongdoings are many, what do you do to Him?
If you are righteous, what do you give to Him,
Or what does He receive from your hand?
Your wickedness is for a man like yourself,
And your righteousness is for a son of man. (vv. 6-8)

In some cases, a gentle reminder is enough to show someone that they are nothing. When hardship strikes, they quickly turn to God and pray for mercy. God gives them a humble heart to repent and helps them follow Him wholeheartedly. However, more severe trials are sometimes necessary for headstrong children who believe they are greater than their Father.

Through the Book of Job, we learn about true righteousness. God’s righteousness is not defined by the law—He is the law. His law is unchangeable, for God does not change as people do. Yet His law is not static, because God is the living God who reigns forever. Whatever proceeds from His mouth becomes law.

To understand God’s law, one must first understand why God created the world. Only God can establish the law and fulfill it. The law’s requirements are not merely external actions, but a deep understanding of its purpose. There is only one who can truly fulfill the law—Jesus Christ—for the law was made for the Kingdom of God through Him.

Do not presume that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. (Matthew 5:17)

Theologians and ministers often interpret the Bible chronologically, overlooking the fact that the world was made to be destroyed and renewed. They fail to understand that Revelation was planned before Genesis. They frequently cite those they call “great thinkers” and quote Greek philosophers who never knew God. They also reference Luther and Calvin, sometimes inventing stories around them. Luther and Calvin were given specific insights necessary for the Reformation, but we now begin to see the errors and limitations they carried.

The Book of Job may be the most important book for a third Reformation. True righteousness belongs to God alone. Being God is righteousness. To be righteous, we must have the Holy Spirit and become one with God. What people often define as perfect law-keeping is not sufficient to fulfill the law. It seems many theologians and ministers do not understand the difference between keeping the law and fulfilling it.

If Christ had to keep the law to fulfill it merely to meet the conditions of the Old Testament as a representative of humanity, then our righteousness would still be earthly and bound to the flesh. A single violation of the law would condemn us to hell—that is the essence of the Old Testament. But our righteousness must be greater than that. It must be unchangeable and eternal.

To be eternally righteous, our sins must be forgiven, and our status must be transformed from slaves to children of God. Covenant theologians insist that we will keep the law perfectly forever in the Kingdom of God, implying that we will still be bound to the written code. But that is not the Kingdom God has promised us.

“Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a NEW covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers on the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. “For this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord: “I will put My law within them and write it on their heart; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. They will not teach again, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I will forgive their wrongdoing, and their sin I will no longer remember.” (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding.
Far be it from God to do evil,
And from the Almighty to do wrong.
For He repays a person for his work,
And lets things happen in correspondence to a man’s behavior.
God certainly will not act wickedly,
And the Almighty will not pervert justice.
Who gave Him authority over the earth?
And who has placed the whole world on Him?
If He were to determine to do so,
If He were to gather His spirit and His breath to Himself,
Humanity would perish together,
And mankind would return to dust. (vv. 10-15)

We humans judge people by their actions. We trust our eyes and ears. It is easy to fool others by doing “good deeds”. We even judge God by what we see and hear. However, God judges according to the person’s knowledge. One’s actions are a reflection of what they know. God knows everything about a person. He does not judge as we judge others. We remain blind unless God gives us wisdom.

Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now that you maintain, ‘We see,’ your sin remains. (John 9:41)

And that is why the Book of Job is one of the wisdom books. The Hebrew word, Emet (Truth), consists of the first, the middle, and the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Truth is Jesus Christ because He is one with God. He is the Son of God in flesh to tell us about the Father. He is wisdom of God.

… but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 1:24)

Elihu rebukes Job for his hypocricy. Job says he is not sinless and yet, says God is unrighteous and he is righteous. Elihu rebukes Job for his unrighteousness. But that is not what Elihu is trying to teach Job. We are not competing with God over righteousness. There is vast difference between Job and God. God knows everything inside and out. Job knows only what he sees and hears. Even that knowledge is crooked because Job judges with limited knowledge and wisdom. Job thinks he is righteous based on his own judgments of himself.

God knows who are not His people. Though they may do many outwardly good deeds, their hearts are corrupt. Their “good deeds” may appear good, and God may even move their hearts to do them, but in the end, they are not credited to them—because the actions originate from God, not from a regenerated heart. True transformation—a new heart and new flesh—is the very essence of the resurrection. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, we are born again by the Holy Spirit.

The saints in the Old Testament were saved by believing in the promise of the coming Savior. This promise was declared from the very beginning.

And I will make enemies
Of you and the woman,
And of your offspring and her Descendant;
He shall bruise you on the head,
And you shall bruise Him on the heel. (Genesis 3:15)

I see many injustices around me and in the world. But God will judge when the appointed time comes. We cannot say that God is unjust. Everything will unfold according to His will and perfect timing.

Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that there will no longer be a delay, but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He announced to His servants the prophets. (Revelation 10:5-7)

If there is an interceding angel for him,
One out of a thousand,
To remind a person of what is right for him,
And he is gracious to him, and says,
‘Free him from going down to the pit,
I have found a ransom’;
Let his flesh become fresher than in youth,
Let him return to the days of his youthful vigor;
Then he will pray to God, and He will accept him,
So that he may see His face with joy,
And He will restore His righteousness to that person.
He will sing to people and say,
‘I have sinned and perverted what is right,
And it is not proper for me.
He has redeemed my soul from going to the pit,
And my life will see the light. (vv. 23-28)

Elihu speaks as any other human does, but he speaks with wisdom. People without knowledge often boast about themselves and their possessions. They think they are morally good and righteous.

Possessions + Delusions = Hypocrisy.

The hypocrites constantly require possessions to feed their delusions.

Many people who call themselves a Christian judges others based on their interpretations of the law and what they see and hear. They act as if they are gods. About this, Calvin wrote in the first chapter of his book, The Institutes of Christian Religion. People are not afraid of judging God. In fact, Jesus Christ was judged by people and was put to death.

But can God be judged? No, He cannot. Only God is righteous. To be God is to be righteous. No creature can be more righteous than God. If a creature is righteous, it must be declared so by the only righteous being—God. Can God prove that He is righteous? The question itself is flawed, for no creature stands above the Creator. God does not need the approval of His creation.

When God created the first humans, there was a vast difference between them and Him. They were blameless and full of wisdom, yet they were corruptible. They did not know God as the Son does. God made them that way, for they needed to undergo suffering in order to know and understand Him and wait for the Mediator. No creature can become a child of God and see Him face to face—unless God Himself makes it possible. And He did. He planned this before the foundation of the world.

Today, we speak to God directly through prayer because of the blood of Jesus Christ. When His Kingdom comes, we will see Him face to face. God gives us this much because He loves us.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illuminate them; and they will reign forever and ever. (Revelation 22:3-5)

Then these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. But the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned against Job; his anger burned because he justified himself before God. And his anger burned against his three friends because they had found no answer, yet they had condemned Job. Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were years older than he. But when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men, his anger burned. (Job 32:1-5)

Elihu means ‘He is My God.’ There are different interpretations of Elihu’s character. Some say he is no different from Job’s three friends, but God did not rebuke Elihu in the end. I see him as a man filled with the Holy Spirit.

It came about after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is trustworthy, as My servant Job has. (Job 42:7)

Elihu is a unique character who speaks on behalf of God, much like a prophet. Perhaps he is even a manifestation of God in human form. He appeared before God’s direct rebuke, much like Jesus Christ. Elihu knows God and proclaims, “He is my God.”

In this chapter, Elihu expresses his anger toward Job and his three friends. Job considered himself righteous and accused God of being unjust. His three friends tried to rebuke him, but they failed to explain why only God is truly righteous. Neither Job nor his friends understood God’s plan for His Kingdom. They were narrow-sighted and refused to consider anything beyond this earthly life. They believed in righteousness through works.

Two reformations have passed, yet many churches still emphasize performing good deeds before others. Churches often preach lies instead of the truth. They no longer believe in or proclaim Sola Gratia. As works of the law have taken precedence over faith, people now judge others based on outward actions. It is easy to deceive others with smooth words and charitable acts. Like the Pharisees, people prefer the praise of others over speaking truth that may offend. Today, churches have become a comfortable place for hypocrites. Hypocrites run the churches. The blind lead the blind. Speaking the truth in church often brings isolation and requires boldness and deep conviction. It is not born of self-will or self-righteousness. It is the Holy Spirit who opens our mouths to speak.

Let me be partial to no one,
Nor flatter any man.
For I do not know how to flatter,
Otherwise my Maker would quickly take me away. (vv. 21-22)

This is why a true Christian often undergoes much suffering—because there are few who truly understand. Consider the life and legacy of Athanasius of Alexandria. He was exiled five times because the emperor was aligned with the heretic Arius. Despite intense pressure from all sides, Athanasius did not deny the truth.

But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given you in that hour. For it is not you who are speaking, but it is the Spirit of your Father who is speaking in you. (Matthew 10:19-20)

If my land cries out against me,
And its furrows weep together;
If I have eaten its fruit without money,
Or have caused its owners to lose their lives,
May the thorn-bush grow instead of wheat,
And stinkweed instead of barley. (vv. 38-40)

In this chapter, Job asserts his integrity. All the good works he had done were known to God—God knew Job’s integrity.

The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.” (Job 1:8)

But what does it matter if my integrity is better than that of others? Can I demand a reward from God simply because I appear better in my own eyes?

God did not make Job suffer because of his good works. The only way Job could come to understand God’s righteousness was through suffering. We, the saints, are clothed with God’s righteousness—a righteousness that does not come from works. Therefore, the Book of Job powerfully refutes all false teachings about imputed righteousness. The righteousness we have received is greater than the righteousness that could be earned through works.

For I say to you that unless your righteousness far surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20)

In fact, the righteousness of God is freely given to us apart from works. When I say “works,” I mean those that come from keeping the law. However, there is one work through which the righteousness of God came to us—the cross of Jesus Christ. Did Jesus have to work for us to receive God’s righteousness? The answer is yes. Christ had to suffer and die in order to make us righteous before God.

If our righteousness came from perfectly keeping the law, it would be changeable and conditional, not absolute. But if we are clothed with God’s righteousness, it is absolute and unchangeable. We truly become God’s children, united with Him, just as Jesus Christ is. And this adoption is made possible through Christ and the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. (Romans 8:16-17)

The Spirit of God enables us to understand His Word. We communicate with God through prayer, and He listens to all the prayers of His children—because we have become His children through His only begotten Son.

So they removed the stone. And Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. But I knew that You always hear Me; nevertheless, because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me. (John 11:41-42)

On that day you will ask in My name, and I am not saying to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father. I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father. (John 16:26-28)

If we have not earned this title, then it was freely given. Some have received it, while others have not. If grace is not conditional, then our election is not conditional. Therefore, we believe that we were destined to be adopted as children of God even before we were born.

… just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He favored us in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:4-6)

And now I have become their taunt,
And I have become a byword to them.
They loathe me and stand aloof from me,
And they do not refrain from spitting in my face.
Because He has undone my bowstring and afflicted me,
They have cast off the bridle before me.
On the right hand their mob arises;
They push aside my feet and pile up their ways of destruction against me. (vv. 9-12)

If you think you have wealth and health, hold a high position at work and in your church, you may find it difficult to understand what Job is going through. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, was born in a poor family. God did not give Him a proper room at the inn when Mary was in labour. Our Lord was laid in a manger. Compared to Him, we often have more than enough and yet complain about what we have or don’t have. People say that the rich can go to heaven. But the rich people cannot separate themselves from pride. They think they are prosperous because of their works. They talk about God’s blessings, but the poor Christians are more blessed than they are because they do not think highly of themselves. Christ went through poverty and humiliation.

But I am a worm and not a person, a disgrace of mankind and despised by the people. (Psalm 22:6)

Job still longs for his former days when he had prosperity and health in this chapter.

When I expected good, evil came;
When I waited for light, darkness came.
I am seething within and cannot rest;
Days of misery confront me.
I go about mourning without comfort;
I stand up in the assembly and cry out for help.
I have become a brother to jackals,
And a companion of ostriches.
My skin turns black on me,
And my bones burn with fever.
Therefore my harp is turned to mourning,
And my flute to the sound of those who weep. (vv. 26-31)

Job expected rewards for his good works, but instead he received disasters. Because of this, he claimed that God is not righteous. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, God’s righteousness is neither conditional nor changeable. It is absolute—because only God is truly righteous. However, people often judge God by their own standards. They use (and have used) the law to judge Him, but in reality, they rely on their own interpretations of the law. Our Lord was judged according to Jewish law, even though He had committed no sin.

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)

Christ suffered for our righteousness. Through His death and resurrection, we have become one with God. We are clothed in God’s righteousness through His Spirit. Some theologians say that we are not like God and that righteousness is merely imputed to us because of Christ’s perfect obedience to the law. But no—our righteousness comes from Christ’s death and resurrection. It is only through the Cross that we are made one with God.

But I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I am leaving; for if I do not leave, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world regarding sin, and righteousness, and judgment: regarding sin, because they do not believe in Me; and regarding righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you no longer are going to see Me; and regarding judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. (John 16:7-11)

If you feel you are lower than the least esteemed in the eyes of the world, remember Jesus Christ, who descended from heaven to the lowest position in order to save us.

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or trouble, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? (Romans 8:35)

If we believe that we earn God’s love through our own initiative, then it ceases to be true grace.

I broke the jaws of the wicked
And rescued the prey from his teeth.
Then I thought, ‘I will die with my family,
And I will multiply my days as the sand.
My root is spread out to the waters,
And dew lies on my branch all night.
My glory is ever new with me,
And my bow is renewed in my hand.’ (vv. 17-20)

In this chapter, Job reveals what has been on his mind. Here, we understand why God has sent disasters into his life. Job is not arrogant but delusional.

To me they listened and waited,
And they kept silent for my advice.
After my words they did not speak again,
And my speech dropped on them.
They waited for me as for the rain,
And opened their mouths as for the late rain.
I smiled at them when they did not believe,
And they did not look at my kindness ungraciously.
I chose a way for them and sat as chief,
And lived as a king among the troops,
As one who comforted the mourners. (vv. 21-25)

Every day, we must look at ourselves in the mirror and see our true selves, not just superficially but in the light of God’s words. It’s easy to think that the world revolves around us, but God’s words act as a mirror, humbling us and bringing us back to reality. In God’s kingdom, there is no ‘I’, ‘me’, ‘my’, or ‘mine’. Anything good within us is not our own, but from God. We have no love within ourselves; it is only through God’s grace that we can love. Envy arises when we compare ourselves to others, but everything we have and enjoy in life is not the result of our efforts.

Job’s story reflects the arrogance of the first human, Adam, who contrasts starkly with Jesus Christ.

I have revealed Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have followed Your word. Now they have come to know that everything which You have given Me is from You; for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me. I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but on the behalf of those whom You have given Me, because they are Yours; and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them. (John 17:6-10)

Our Lord is also contrasted with the queen in Revelation 18:7:

To the extent that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, to the same extent give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as a queen and I am not a widow, and will never see mourning.’

He is also contrasted with the king of Tyre.

Son of man, say to the leader of Tyre, ‘The Lord GOD says this: “Because your heart is haughty And you have said, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods In the heart of the seas’; Yet you are a mortal and not God, Although you make your heart like the heart of God— (Ezekiel 28:2)

The king of Tyre in Ezekiel 27 and 28 is often interpreted as the devil. Without knowing God through the Holy Spirit and His Word, we are all destined to deny Him and exalt ourselves. We act as if we are God and eventually come to believe that we are the Creator. We craft our own idols—this has been humanity’s unceasing pursuit. The Renaissance was a movement that exalted human greatness. Interestingly, the second Reformation took place during the Renaissance period.

If your life appears better than others’, take a moment to reflect on where you truly are and what you truly look like through God’s words and prayer. If suffering comes, pray for the strength to endure through God’s power. Every suffering in this life is a lesson for the saints.

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though something strange were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that at the revelation of His glory you may also rejoice and be overjoyed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory, and of God, rests upon you. Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. (1 Peter 4:12-16)