Job 11:14 (KJV)
If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.
It seems to me that the operative word in this passage is "if." It is a conditional clause: If this, then that...
Drawing back to a Daily Visit with God from 2023 (Job 8:8), I noted Scofield's proposition that Eliphaz leaned on his experiences, Bildad on his traditions, and Zophar on his "superior" understanding of God and his dogmatism. I adapted that idea by describing Eliphaz as the charismatic, Bildad as the Protestant, and Zophar as the Fundamentalist.
Zophar began his discourse by calling Job a liar.
Job 11:3 (KJV)
Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?
Right from the beginning, I want to acknowledge that there is iniquity in us all. In one sense, we all tend to lie by making ourselves appear better than we really are. But that is not what Zophar means. He is accusing Job of something he does not know to be true. He is condemning him. He is passing judgment on Job's character, even though God has already informed us that those judgments are inaccurate. I cannot say for certain whether Zophar had heard from God on this matter, but much of the time, people who judge are not especially interested in God's view anyway.
I can say this: if someone has iniquity in his life, and if God has brought him under conviction for that iniquity, he would be much better off to put it far away. If that is the case, and if God has confirmed it, then we would be wise to let not wickedness dwell in our tabernacles.
But if those accusations come from men and not from God, then our responsibility is to answer to God, not to men.
#Job11v14 #DailyVisitWithGod #ListenToGod #BiblicalDiscernment #WalkWithGod
God's Conviction or Man's Accusations: Warning Signs You're Listening to Men Instead of God
Have you ever struggled to know whether conviction was coming from God or criticism was coming from people? Share your thoughts or experience in the comments—I’d enjoy hearing from you.
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