Old Testament reading: Job 38-39
Uh oh. The Voice that Job has demanded to hear, and the Voice that Bildad, Eliphaz, and Zophar have represented as their own, is about to be heard. This is not going to be good. Out of a whirlwind, the Lord exhorts Job to stand and answer for himself like a man. What follows is a litany of questions beginning with, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” It doesn’t get any better or easier from there: “Who determined its measurements? Surely you know!” To say the Lord puts Job in his place with His line of questioning is an understatement. Point of interest, these questions are not designed to show man’s lack of knowledge as much as his insignificance in light of God’s knowledge and power. God here reminds Job that He created all things and exercises absolute authority over all things guided by His own infinite and perfect wisdom.
New Testament reading: Mark 15-16
“You shall not follow a crowd to do evil” (Exodus 23:2). We would also do well to accompany this statement with these words from the Lord, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you” (Luke 6:26). Pilate clearly understood the motive of Jesus’ accusers (15:10). However, “wanting to gratify the crowd,” he made the decision to condemn to death a man he knew was innocent. In our American way of thinking, we are often convinced that what the majority wants should win the day. However, throughout our history, we find that the majority is often wrong, very wrong. This was also true in the early days of the church, and has continued even into modern times. For example, attitudes toward and demands upon the Gentiles were problematic from the earliest days of the church. See Galatians 2. This was wrong. More recently, beginning from the earliest days of the American Restoration Movement and continuing throughout the 20th century, many in the church supported segregation and other prejudices towards blacks and other minorities. This was also wrong. Let us commit ourselves to the support and practice of righteousness regardless of how many agree or practice the same. As Paul said to the Galatians, ‘If I try to please men, I cannot be the servant of Christ’ (1:10).
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