Ezekiel’s Wife

John Piper, an Advent Poem from 1984 Ezekiel sat stunned and cold. The word that he had just been told Converted every large complaint He ever made into a faint Concern. No pain would be absurd, He thought, if this one word Of God could be withdrawn tonight, “I would engage in any fight For … More Ezekiel’s Wife

Job Defends Himself

  Dr. Kim Riddlebarger comments on Job 6 Job cannot take anymore. And so in 6:1-7:2, he responds to his friend. Eliphaz’s words do not bring Job comfort. Instead, they bring forth an emotional outbrust and protest from Job against the insinuation that there is some hidden sin in his life which has caused God … More Job Defends Himself

Responses to suffering

Suffering arrives in our lives in many ways, sudden or slow-onset, long-lasting or short-lived, many different varieties afflict us.  How do we handle suffering?  What is our response to tragedy in our lives? In Job 2, we see a man faced with not only the loss of his children and all his earthly riches, but … More Responses to suffering

The Absolute Sovereignty of God is our Rock of Refuge in Suffering

John Piper, from Part 1 of a sermon series on Job, “Reverent in Suffering”: Did you notice that in the two heavenly scenes God handed Job over to Satan’s power? But when Satan had done his work of taking Job’s wealth and family, Job said in 1:21, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken … More The Absolute Sovereignty of God is our Rock of Refuge in Suffering

Can’t bear to hear…

I am struck with the similarity between the passage we read from Ezekiel today (Chapter 2) and this passage in John.  Here in John, Jesus is speaking with some folks who were trying to kill him.  He asks, “Why do you not understand what I say?  It is because you cannot bear to hear my … More Can’t bear to hear…