What does "man is born to trouble" reveal about human nature and sin? Verse in Focus “Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.” (Job 5:7) Immediate Context • Spoken by Eliphaz while counseling Job. • Follows Job’s lament (Job 3–4) and Eliphaz’s claim that suffering is tied to sin. • Even though Eliphaz misapplies truth to Job’s situation, the statement itself is affirmed elsewhere in Scripture. What “Born to Trouble” Says About Our Nature • Trouble is not occasional; it is inherent to the human condition from birth. • Like sparks naturally rise from a fire, hardship naturally rises in human life. • Humanity’s default environment after Eden is one of friction, pain, and struggle. The Roots of Trouble: Sin’s Entrance • Genesis 3:17–19—After Adam’s fall, the ground is cursed and life becomes toil. • Romans 5:12—“Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people.” • Psalm 51:5—We are “brought forth in iniquity,” showing trouble begins at conception. • Ephesians 2:3—By nature we are “children of wrath,” confirming our bent toward trouble. How the Rest of Scripture Confirms This Diagnosis • Ecclesiastes 2:22–23—“All his days are grief, and his vocation is sorrow.” • Romans 8:20–22—Creation itself groans under futility because of sin. • Proverbs 22:8—“He who sows injustice will reap disaster,” illustrating personal and societal trouble. • Psalm 34:19—“Many are the afflictions of the righteous,” proving even redeemed people face trouble. God’s Provision in the Midst of Trouble • Isaiah 53:4—Christ “carried our sorrows,” entering our troubled condition. • John 16:33—“In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world.” • 2 Corinthians 4:17—Temporary troubles produce “an eternal weight of glory.” • Revelation 21:4—A future without tears or pain for those in Christ. Practical Takeaways • Expect hardship—trouble is normal, not a sign God has failed. • Diagnose its source—personal sin, the world’s brokenness, or both. • Run to the One who overcame—Christ provides grace now and deliverance later. • Use trouble redemptively—God refines character (James 1:2–4) and draws us closer through difficulty. |
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