What can we learn about divine justice from Job 4:11? Verse under Study Job 4:11: “The lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.” Immediate Setting • Speaker: Eliphaz of Teman, addressing Job. • Goal: Illustrate that even the strongest creatures are brought low when God removes their provision—an argument meant to support retribution justice. What We Observe in the Picture of the Lion • Strength is no shield: the most powerful beast still depends on God for daily sustenance. • Sudden reversal: a well-fed predator can quickly perish once supply is withheld. • Ripple effect: the downfall of the parent scatters the next generation. Principles of Divine Justice Highlighted • God alone sustains life; when He withholds, strength fails (Psalm 104:27-29). • Justice is impartial: status, power, or reputation cannot exempt anyone from accountability (2 Chronicles 19:7). • Consequences reach beyond the sinner to those under his influence—the lion’s cubs are scattered (Exodus 20:5; Hosea 4:6). • Judgment often arrives through natural means—lack of prey rather than lightning bolts—yet it is still God’s hand (Job 37:10-13). Balancing the Verse with the Whole Counsel of Scripture • Eliphaz’s observation is accurate but incomplete; God later corrects his blanket application (Job 42:7-8). • Scripture teaches both retributive justice and seasons of testing for the righteous (Psalm 34:19; 1 Peter 1:6-7). • The imagery of lions and justice recurs: – Psalm 34:10 “The young lions go lacking and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.” – Ezekiel 19:1-9 shows a lioness humbled for wickedness. – 1 Peter 5:8 depicts Satan as a lion destined for judgment (Revelation 20:10). Timeless Takeaways • Dependence on God: every breath and every meal flow from His hand; self-reliance is a mirage. • Certainty of justice: wrongdoers may roar for a season, yet divine justice will silence them. • Future matters: choices today affect those who follow after us—our “cubs.” • Humility and trust: acknowledging God’s sovereignty guards us from the fate of the perishing lion. Living in Light of Divine Justice • Examine sources of security—are they from God or merely human strength? • Practice righteousness even when circumstances seem unfair; God’s justice is never late. • Provide a godly legacy so the next generation is gathered, not scattered (Proverbs 13:22). |
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