約伯及其友人就他的苦境展開第三回合的辯論，甚為激烈，但獲益極少。以利法再度領軍突擊：「你的罪惡豈不是大麼？你的罪孽也沒有窮盡。」（22：5）對話的開始何等彬彬有禮，現在卻演變成嚴肅的控訴，雖然當時並無任何證據支持以利法的指控，他卻堅持他對約伯境況的解釋完全正確，而約伯，仍然堅持他的信念：他無辜，而上帝是值得信賴的。

        幸而鐵、炭和鐵礬土不能表達自己的意見，否則它們就不能變成鋼、鑽石和鋁了！為什麼？因為熱、壓力和時間足以把這些「原料」轉變成更好的，更堅實的、更有用的、更漂亮的東西，挪走了試煉的機會，就不能成為精金。
        在第二十三章裡，約伯認為上帝已將他的信心置於熔爐燒烤──不是要摧毀他，而是要提煉他，正如黃金要在幾千度高溫中，才能除去它的雜質，成為純金！所以約伯宣稱：「祂試煉我之後，我必如精金。」（23：10）──使他的性格受到操練、淨化與肯定。
        今天請仔細讀彼得前書一章一至九節；然後找一小片鋁箔放在口袋或皮包裡，成為一個提醒，幫助你記得今天你所面臨的熱氣和壓力，都是上帝要你明日反映出祂榮耀的方法。

        看見那看不見的上帝
        約伯對上帝忠貞不二信靠，在二十三章八至十節表現得最為透徹。在尋找答案時，約伯「往前行……往退後……在左邊……在右邊……」他發現了什麼？「上帝不那裡，我也不能見他……我卻不能看見……我也不能見他。」然而約伯了解最重要問題不是「我能否看見這位看不見的上帝？」（不！你不能！）而是「我能否信靠這位看不見的主？」（是的！你能！）

試煉使我們更好，而不是更苦。

English

        Round Three of the debate between Job and his friends about Job's predicament produces plenty of heat but sheds very little light. Once again Eliphaz leads the assault: "Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?" (22:5). What began as courteous dialogue now turns into grave accusation. Though there is not a shred of evidence to support Eliphaz's charges, he insists that what he says must be true to explain Job's circumstances. But Job remains firm in his conviction that he is innocent and God is trustworthy.

        It's a good thing iron, coal, and bauxite don't have a vote in the matter. If they did, chances are good there would be no such thing as steel, diamonds, and aluminum! Why? Because heat, pressure, and time are all involved in transforming these raw materials into something better. Take away the process, and you also lose the product.
        In chapter 23 Job acknowledges that God has put his faith in the furnace—not to ruin him but to refine him. Just as gold loses its impurities to a temperature of several thousand degrees, so Job declares that "when [God] hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold" (23:10)—tested, purified, proven in character.
        Take time today to read 1 Peter 1:1-9 carefully; then carry a piece of aluminum foil in your pocket or purse as a reminder that the heat and pressure you face today are God's way of helping you reflect His glory tomorrow!

        Seeing the Invisible God
        Job's trust in God is nowhere more visible than in 23:8-10. In his search for answers, Job goes "forward . . . and backward . . . on the left hand . . . [and] on the right hand." And what does he discover? "[God] is not there ... I cannot perceive him ... I cannot behold him ... I cannot see him." But Job realizes the ultimate question is not "Can I see the invisible God?" (no, you can't!), but rather, "Can I trust the invisible God?" (yes, you can!).

The trials of life are meant to make us better, not bitter.