By Andrew Williams
After the Lord had finished speaking to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “I am angry with you and your two friends, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has. So take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer on your behalf. I will not treat you as you deserve, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has.”
Job 42:7-8 NLT
Good morning fellow disciples.
God was angry with Job’s friends because they had not spoken accurately about Him. In other words, they had lied/ misrepresented the truth!
Have you been speaking inaccurately about God? Have you been misrepresenting the truth? Have you been lying?
Know for a fact that God is not pleased with you either!
I am now thinking, have I been speaking inaccurately about God! Is God angry with me?
We see that even though God was angry with these three persons He made provisions for them to be forgiven. They had to offer burnt sacrifices for themselves in the presence of Job. Then Job would pray for them, and God would forgive them.
Intercede: to intervene between parties with a view to reconciling differences; to mediate; to plead on someone else’s behalf; or to intervene on behalf of another.
Do not miss the important point that is made here by God: He would not accept their prayers nor their intercession for each other or themselves, because they had misrepresented Him. God would only accept the prayer of someone who pleased Him, and that person was honest Job!
So, as I continue to self reflect, I am wondering can I really pray for you this morning? Will God answer my prayer for you, and will God answer your prayers for me?
Prayer: Father God I thank You that I don’t have to sacrifice, we don’t have to sacrifice bulls and rams in order for You to forgive us. Lord Jesus, You are the ram that was slain, and Your blood cleanses us from all unrighteousness. I come to You, Lord Jesus, asking You to intercede on behalf of me and my fellow disciples with Father God.
We have misrepresented You, Father God, in so many different ways and we are sorry. We confess our sin, Lord, and ask You to forgive us. Don’t punish us the way we deserve. Cleanse us from all unrighteousness, and we will speak the truth about You from now on. Amen.