“Pious Platitudes Meet Honest Hurt” Job “Pious Platitudes Meet Honest Hurt” “Blaming the Victim”

Blaming the Victim - Job 8:1-10, 20 Bildad from Shuah said: How long will you talk and keep saying nothing? Does God All-Powerful stand in the way of justice? He made your children pay for their sins. So why don't you turn to him and start living right? Then he will decide to rescue and restore you to your place of honor. Your future will be brighter by far than your past. Our ancestors were wise, so learn from them. Our own time has been short, like a fading shadow, and we know very little. But they will instruct you with great understanding . . We know God doesn't reject an innocent person or help a sinner. CEV

Blaming the Victim - Job 8:1-10, 20 When Bildad spoke, he spouted off pious platitudes: “God doesn't make mistakes.” “Everything happens for a reason.” “God makes good things happen to good people.” “God makes bad things happen to bad people.” “Trouble comes to people because they do wrong.”

No human is innocent in the sight of God. Confronting God – Job in Chapter 9: 1 - 3, 14 - 24, 29 – 35 Job said: What you say is true. No human is innocent in the sight of God. Not once in a thousand times could we win our case if we took God to court . . . How, then, could I possibly argue my case with God? Even though I am innocent, I can only beg for mercy. And if God came into court when I called him, he would not hear my case. He would strike me with a storm and increase my injuries for no reason at all.

Before I could get my breath, my miseries would multiply. Confronting God Job in Chapter 9: 1 - 3, 14 - 24, 29 – 35 Before I could get my breath, my miseries would multiply. God is much stronger than I am, and who would call me into court to give me justice? Even if I were innocent, God would prove me wrong. I am not guilty, but I no longer care what happens to me. What difference does it make? God destroys the innocent along with the guilty. When a good person dies a sudden death, God sits back and laughs. And who else but God blindfolds the judges, then lets the wicked take over the earth?

So what's the use of trying to prove my innocence? Confronting God – Job in Chapter 9: 1 - 3, 14 - 24, 29 – 35 So what's the use of trying to prove my innocence? Even if I washed myself with the strongest soap, God would throw me into a pit of stinking slime, leaving me disgusting to my clothes. God isn't a mere human like me. I can't put God on trial. Who could possibly judge between the two of us? Can someone snatch away the stick God carries to frighten me? Then I could speak up without fear of him, but for now, I cannot speak.

Hebrews 4:14-16 - The Message Now that we know what we have - Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God - let's not let it slip through our fingers. We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all - all but the sin. So let's walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.